Review Summary: He always satisfies...
Donny Benét embraced all the ‘80s disco clichés and turned himself into a quirky character from the respective era. His rich, middle-aged sleazy persona wears Miami Vice-like flamingo pink suits, sports that porn mustache and inevitably, women fall at his feet. As a result, the tunes are peppered with sexual innuendos and feature all the cheesiness you can expect. Luckily, humor finds its way to the surface, especially in the music videos, rounding the overall experience.
2018’s
The Don helped the Australian multi-instrumentalist gain a solid underground following, plus, it allowed him to expand his horizons by touring North America and Europe. Due to the ‘80s music's popularity resurgence, post disco (Italo-disco, city pop, in this case) rides some of those waves as well. Giving credit where is due, Donny took bits from various influences and crafted some sweet, fun tunes. On his latest record,
Mr. Experience he continues to diversify his output within the genre. Inevitably, the synthesizer is at the forefront, being used to portray various moods and sounds, such as the late night, warm vibes of ‘Negroni Summer’ or ‘Second Dinner’, the sensual porn (synthwave) soundtrack ‘Waterfall (Love Scene’), as well as the sequencer-led, dancefloor-ready, ‘One Night in Paradise’. Luckily, Benét graces us with his bouncy, funky bass lines, leading the groovy title track, ‘Moving Up & the smooth, jazzy-tinged, ‘Girl of my Dreams’. Moreover, the man’s lovely croon fits the music perfectly, complementing it rather than becoming main focus.
Donny relied on consistency on
Mr. Experience and it paid off. Ultimately, the album is an entertaining and cohesive listen. The honest delivery makes it even better, as its aim is to put a smile on your face. Behind the comical nature of his persona, the music is actually great. At the same time, Benét worked on the production side to offer a modern take on the original, arguably outdated disco sound. So, you either accept the whole package or forget about it.
