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Ben Lukas Boysen

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Ben Lukas Boysen
Ben Lukas Boysen (2014)
Boysen in 2014
Background information
Also known as
  • Hecq
Born (1981-09-04) 4 September 1981 (age 43)
Oldenburg, West Germany
Genres
Years active2003–present
LabelsErased Tapes, Hymen Records
Websitebenlukasboysen.com

Ben Lukas Boysen (born 4 September 1981), also known by his stage name Hecq, is a German electronic music composer based in Berlin. Known for his emotive and genre-blending compositions, Boysen seamlessly integrates elements of ambient, contemporary classical, and electronic styles into his works.[1]

Early life

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Boysen was born in 1981 in Oldenburg, West Germany, the third child of opera singer Deirdre Boysen (née Aselford; 1938–2014) and actor Claus Boysen (1938–2007).[2] He grew up in a creative family; one of his older brothers, Oliver Boysen [de], pursued an acting career.[3]

Boysen began formal music training at the age of seven, studying piano and classical guitar. Inspired by classical composers such as Anton Bruckner, Richard Wagner, and Johann Sebastian Bach, Boysen developed a strong foundation in traditional music, which later influenced his contemporary compositions.[4]

Career

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Boysen moved to Berlin in the early 2000s, where he established Hecq Audio, a studio specialising in sound design and electronic composition.[5] Adopting the alias Hecq, he began releasing music in 2003, exploring a wide range of electronic subgenres, including glitch, ambient, breakcore, IDM, and dubstep.[6] Most of these releases were through the experimental label Hymen Records.[7]

In 2014, Boysen's track "Sleepers Beat Theme" was prominently featured as the opening track of Jon Hopkins's LateNightTales compilation, bringing his music to a wider audience.[8]

In 2016, Boysen signed with the renowned Erased Tapes label and released two solo albums: Gravity (a reissue of his 2013 album) and Spells. These works fused his electronic soundscapes with live instrumentation, such as strings and piano, earning him critical acclaim.[9][10] His third album, Mirage, released in 2020, further solidified his reputation as a master of blending organic and electronic textures.[11]

In 2024, Boysen released Alta Ripa, his fourth studio album on Erased Tapes. Named after the Roman name of his hometown Altrip, the album reflects on his youth and blends introspective melodies with experimental electronic textures. Boysen described it as "something the 15-year-old in me would have liked to hear but only the grown-up version of myself can write."[12] Critics praised its emotional depth and innovative sound. AllMusic highlighted it as "a finely crafted effort that looks back to the formative era of experimental techno without being a nostalgia trip," while mxdwn noted its balance of "delicate introspection with moments of profound grandeur."[13][14]

Soundtracks

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Boysen has composed music for various media projects, including films, commercials, and video games. In 2017, he collaborated with Sebastian Plano on the critically acclaimed score for the simulation game Everything, a philosophical exploration of interconnectedness.[15] His work has also been featured in projects for prominent clients such as Marvel and Amnesty International.[16]

Discography

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As Hecq

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Albums

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  • A Dried Youth (Kaleidoskop, 2003)
  • Scatterheart (Hymen Records, 2004)
  • Bad Karma (Hymen Records, 2005)
  • 0000 (Hymen Records, 2007)
  • Night Falls (Hymen Records, 2008)
  • Steeltongued (Hymen Records, 2009)
  • Avenger (Hymen Records, 2011)
  • Horror Vacui (Hymen Records, 2013)
  • Conversions (Ad Noiseam, 2014)
  • Mare Nostrum (Hymen Records, 2015)
  • Chansons de Geste (Hymen Records, 2017)

Singles and EPs

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  • Zetha (onpa))))), 2007)
  • Golden Pines (Binkcrsh, 2008)
  • Sura (Ad Noiseam, 2010)
  • Spheres of Fury (with Exillon, Contortion, 2011)
  • Enceladus (Ad Noiseam, 2012)
  • Pain Call (with Skyence, Edged Music, 2013)

As Ben Lukas Boysen

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Albums

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Singles and EPs

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  • Thesis 16 (with Martin Heyne, Thesis, 2020)

Soundtracks

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  • Restive (2012)
  • Mother Nature (2013)
  • Sleeper's Beat (2014)
  • Sundays (2015)
  • The Collini Case (2019)
  • Siren Songs (2021)

References

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  1. ^ Battaglia, Andy (20 June 2016). "Album of the Day: Ben Lukas Boysen, "Spells"". Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Trauer um Sängerin Deirdre Boysen". NWZ Online (in German). 6 May 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  3. ^ Tschapke, Reinhard (18 January 2006). ""Das ist für mich wie ein beruflicher Lottogewinn"". NWZ Online (in German). Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Q&A Ben Lukas Boysen". BRUEDER SELKE. 23 February 2024. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  5. ^ Robinson, Collin (6 April 2016). "Ben Lukas Boysen – "Golden Times 1"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Hecq – Steeltongued". Headphone Commute. 30 May 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Ben Lukas Boysen – Spells". Headphone Commute. 22 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  8. ^ Tuffrey, Laurie (4 February 2015). "LISTEN: New Ben Lukas Boysen". The Quietus. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  9. ^ Cliff, Aimee (9 June 2016). "Soothe Your Mind With Berlin Composer Ben Lukas Boysen's Spells LP". The FADER. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  10. ^ Steel, Gary (12 October 2016). "Ben Lukas Boysen: Spells – review". Metro. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016.
  11. ^ White, Chris (29 April 2020). "Ben Lukas Boysen - Mirage | Album Reviews". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Alta Ripa, by Ben Lukas Boysen". Ben Lukas Boysen. 29 November 2024. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Alta Ripa – Ben Lukas Boysen | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Album Review: Ben Lukas Boysen – Alta Ripa -". mxdwn Music. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Everything by Ben Lukas Boysen & Sebastian Plano - Releases". Erased Tapes. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  16. ^ Murphy, Ben (7 June 2016). "Ben Lukas Boysen Spells". XLR8R. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
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