Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Mark Ben Wilson – Fire and Gold (2022)

Embracing his love for music at a young age, singer-songwriter Mark Ben Wilson began playing the guitar at age 13 and never looked back. When studying music, he discovered the work of Eric Roche who inspired him to perform fingerstyle acoustic guitar – heartfelt and tender. From then until now Wilson has released original music from his debut album Blind Feet to the single ‘Fire and Gold’. This is my introduction to Wilson, so come with me as I delve into ‘Fire and Gold’.



Using life experiences to inspire his music, UK-based Mark Ben Wilson expresses life in its entirety through his songs. ‘Fire and Gold’ is an intimate piece speaking about the difficult times we are living through, working through the situation and having the self-belief to make positive changes in our world. Recorded in Wilson’s home studio, there appears to be even more of a personal touch – I mean, recording from home has to be more personal than from a separate studio…I think.

“I wrote it as a letter to my former self, back when I was too wrapped up in fear and self-doubt to create any new music and this went on for several years. After working through all that, this is the first song I wrote and I’m now using it as a step forward into embracing the unknown…I think it’s something we can all relate to and a message that’s important to share.” – Mark Ben Wilson on ‘Fire and Gold’

Showing us the beauty of simplicity, Wilson adopts an acoustic style in ‘Fire and Gold’. Combining the power of drums with the elegance of an acoustic guitar (and an interspersed piano), the melodic arrangement really grabs at your heart with its heartfelt vibe. While the harmonic arrangement easily turns your head, it is Wilson’s rich vocals that finish off that intoxicating quality of ‘Fire and Gold’. Slightly gruff with some obscurity, Mark Ben Wilson’s dulcet tones can stick in your head for hours.

For more from Mark Ben Wilson check out his official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.