Melbourne Country Artist Ben Mastwyk Releases His New Album Let Me At The Night

Let Me At The Night is a bit of a fantasy record for Ben Mastwyk – the Australian cosmic cowboy and interstellar troubadour.

He really discovered the DNA of his band The Millions over the last few records, and this time, they all wanted to push the boundaries. Mastwyk was lucky enough to receive funding through a Creative Victoria Creative Works grant, which allowed him to really lean in and record the album he wanted to make, without cutting corners.

Working with producer Michael Hubbard at The Shrimp Shack studio in Melbourne, Mastwyk initially set out to make a ‘90s country-inspired record—and in a way, he did. But instead of sticking strictly to that particular sonic palette, he found himself leaning back into the genre-bending, experimental approach he first explored with his original band in the actual ‘90s. "It’s still a country record in my eyes: narrative-based songs that explore the themes I’ve been circling in my writing for years," he says. "But we’ve really dialled up the experimentalism—pushed our sonic palette further than we ever have before!"

The songs are more anthemic—designed to kick the party off right from the get-go and sustain that energy till the end (and beyond). Mastwyk recently got the chance to test this new material live at the Tamworth Country Music Festival across three huge nights. And it worked. Big party energy. A crowd ready to rumble!

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"Each time I’ve made a record, I’ve had a space and an audience in mind. My first album Mornin’ Evenin’ was written for small rooms, intimate spaces, and quiet Sunday mornings. The next couple were made for Melbourne barrooms—the venues I was in love with at the time. This album, though, was written with festivals and bigger crowds in mind."

With a thematic arc that runs across the album, it picks up where the last few records left off, in the barroom, then blasts off further and further into space. "I’ve always visualised this album as a spaceship—with the whole point being to see if I can get it to lift off and hit warp speed."

The most recent single from the album was 'Reputation', a song that takes a loving swing at the haters and gossipmongers. "'Reputation' was born from whispers of talk on the town, about myself and my crew. It’s funny when these things get back to the source. My take is that if people are talking about you it then you’re attracting attention!" It's a honky-tonk dance floor gem of the highest order, pedal steel and electric guitar vying for space under the mirror ball.

Previous singles included 'All The Songs I Wrote', 'Actually', and the album title-track 'Let Me At The Night' - a heartfelt country power ballad that captures the restless spirit of someone yearning to break free from isolation and return to the vibrant nightlife they once knew.

From hot-wired boogie to rhinestone pop, honky-tonk electronic disco to country space-ballads, Shania to Yoakam, George Jones to Orville Peck – the new album serves as a kaleidoscopic ode to the possibilities of country music. Filtered through both heartache and the dance floor, it's a truly mind-expanding and irresistible collection of songs, from an artist firing on all creative cylinders.

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