Friday brings the release of the ‘New Era’ EP from synthpop/electro artist Ender Bender, the solo project of music jack-of-all-trades / producer Eddie Olguin. His new 5-track offering may have been written last summer – in defiance of the spirit-crushing pandemic – but the message is ever as relevant today as it was one year ago. This EP was also inspired, not surprisingly, by his new obsession with the emerging retrowave/chillwave movement.
Just recently, he presented the single ‘Bewildered’ and timely, following up lead track ‘Have A Good Time’. After a heavy pandemic-laden year and with lockdown restrictions easing up in many countries across the globe, this message is a solid reminder that we all need to lighten up and start enjoying the many things we’ve gotten used to not having over the past year, essentially living as shut-ins. Break out the bubbly Ender Bender – we’re on board with your message and your music. Let’s enjoy this trip now, shall we?
After years of living an adventurous rock-and-roll life in Los Angeles, Eddie Olguin moved to Rome in the name of love, but also found new energy and inspiration (void of scenes and scenesters) to reinvigorate his passion for music and redesign his musical career path. Once in Rome, Olguin built a studio and made the transition from being a live performer to primarily a studio musician-producer. Thus was born Ender Bender – a new catalyst for his new mission.
With the Covid pandemic encouraging more time in the recording studio, 2020 motivated Eddie to hone his production skills and to begin composing instrumental cinematic cues. This led to scoring several corporate demos (for the development of a virtual reality game) and, ultimately, working as part of a busy collective of LA film composers. He has been working as a film composer ever since.
“This EP is steeped in escapism simply because it literally served as my personal escape from what was happening at the beginning of the pandemic here in Italy. It’s also about creating a paradigm shift in our overall experience as humans. I can’t help but feel that we have completely lost touch with what’s real and with the true sense of why we’re here and where we come from,” says Eddie Olguin.
“When the pandemic hit, it was like one big final blow to the gut. I realized many of us felt this way so I wanted to make music about reconnecting with what matters: family, friends, life and mainly love. In other words, it’s a slice of positivity to help you deal with the negativity we’re faced with every day.”
In 2020, Ender Bender debuted with his ‘EQ’ EP and singles ‘Star Killer’ and ‘Honey Lavender Girl’, released soon after the lockdown frenzy began. His first foray into studio production, this release garnered super reviews and international radio play.
As of June 25, the ‘New Era’ EP will be available everywhere digitally and can already be ordered via Bandcamp at https://enderbender.bandcamp.com/album/new-era
CREDITS
Written, performed and produced by Eddie Olguin
Guitars by Bernhard Penzias
Mastered by Justin Weis
Recorded and mixed by Eddie Olguin in a secret Audio Lab somewhere in Rome
Photography by Roberta Ovatta
Ender Bender on the net
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