Cucino by Sydney-based musician Benjamino is such a refreshing album. I mean, a runtime of thirty-two minutes has never felt this short. But it’s just not the listening experience that I find totally engaging, the concept around this project is pretty solid too.

With this album, Benjamino crafted a beautiful culinary narrative, leaning closely into his Italian heritage (the word ‘cucino’ is Italian for ‘I cook’). Benjamino was quoted as saying that the decision to center this album around a specific concept served the purpose of guiding him through the creative process, since he wrote, performed and produced the songs by himself.

Cucino spans various sounds ranging from funk and indie-soul to disco and alt-R&B. The songs are warm, upbeat and generally quite mood-lifting. I do feel the timing of the album’s release couldn’t be more perfect–its light-hearted vibe perfectly embodies festive-period spirit.

Each song represents a mood or feeling. “Whereaboutism”, for example, is really passionate. “Thrill of the Chase”, which is perfect for the dancefloor or night drives, is so infectious. So is “Alpine Air”, the blissful indie-dance anthem. “Boring With You” had me singing along heartily.

This album is kind of divided into two parts, with “Secondo” acting as the bridge. “Secondo” is a chill, lo-fi instrumental track that oozes ambience.

For a debut album, Cucino is really beautifully crafted, providing for an easy listen. For Benjamino, it is the result of thousands of hours spent polishing his craft. He is a producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who previously worked as a studio engineer. Cucino does seal his entry onto the alt-R&B scene as an artist.

Listen to the entire album via Spotify below and remember you can keep up with Benjamino by following him on Instagram.