Louisiana singer-songwriter Ben Labat has released "Echolocationism," an 11-track solo record recorded almost entirely with his voice and his grandfather's Martin D-28 acoustic guitar. The album became available digitally on Thursday, Oct. 23, according to a news release announcing the project.
A deliberately spare sound
Labat, best known for his work with The Terms and Ben Labat & the Happy Devil, steps away from full-band arrangements and heavy production on this record. Most songs were recorded with him singing and playing at the same time, without a metronome. He chose to keep string rattles, cracked notes and shifting tempos in the final takes rather than polishing them away, a decision he presents as a way of preserving the performances' natural feel.
The music blends alternative folk and rock with a roots-oriented, Southern and blue-collar sensibility. Labat has said the approach was a reaction to a media environment he sees as heavily shaped by technology, social media and advertising.
Acoustics, echoes and the search for direction
The title reflects Labat's long interest in acoustics and physics. A former physics teacher and control systems engineer, he has been drawn to echolocation, the way animals navigate by interpreting sound. For him, the idea doubles as a metaphor for songwriting and for finding one's way through a life.
The record draws on hundreds of unreleased songs and experiences he accumulated over roughly two decades. According to the release, the material was revisited to identify the songs that still held up, linking the physical act of orientation with the more personal work of understanding relationships, memories and choices.
Songs and a closing cover
Tracks such as "Set a New Course," "The Side Effects," "Islands" and "If This Ain't Love" address direction, unintended consequences, the balance between independence and connection, and relationships that resist conventional labels. Other songs, including "Wild Eyes," "The Flame" and "Blueberry," focus on uncertainty and everyday moments.
The album closes with a cover of Harry Styles's "Matilda," which Labat says carries particular meaning because he and his daughter sang it together on the drive to school. Rather than offering settled conclusions, the collection leaves room for doubt and imperfection.
Where Labat performs now
Labat's career includes shared stages with The Revivalists, Anders Osborne, Pat Green, Better Than Ezra, Blues Traveler and Tab Benoit, as well as a duet with Jackson Browne. His music has also appeared in television series including The Ghost Whisperer, The Real World and Jersey Shore, and in the films Mini's First Time and Middle of Nowhere. He is now based in Southeast Louisiana and plans to introduce "Echolocationism" in intimate listening rooms across the region, with additional performance dates expected to be announced.