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Mar 30, 2023 By Caleb Campbell

Varas is the moniker of musician Benjamin Muñoz Varas, a rising singer/songwriter whose music focuses on tightly-written indie and alt pop while flirting with shades of rock, hip hop, jazz, and soul. He debuted in 2020 with his EP, Set One, and has spent the past several months teasing his forthcoming sophomore effort一There You Go!一with a pair of singles, “Hell No” and “New Light.”

The EP is due out tomorrow, March 31st, and sees Varas further varying his influences while retaining his focus on sharp melodies and magnetic vocal performances. As he describes, “I’ve always drawn inspiration from different styles of music. I believe I’ve always been more intrigued by other artists’ musical personalities, rather than their genre. I don’t believe genreless music is something I’m aiming for but if my music is difficult to define, I won’t oppose that perception. The thing I do aim for is to let my personality come through, and I’d be surprised if anyone’s personality is one-sided. I contradict myself all the time, why wouldn’t my music do as well?”

Ahead of the record’s release, Varas has also shared an early listen to one of the EP’s highlights, “Careful What You Wish For,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Careful What You Wish For” finds Varas in leaning into his indie rock influences, conjuring a very Strokes-esque combination of wiry drum machines, melodic guitar lines, and laconic vocal delivery. Varas’ performance is subdued and understated, but it creates a striking contrast with the upbeat rhythms and sharp hooks, with each element locking together for a climactic burst of soaring songwriting at the song’s end.

Varas says of the track, “I wrote this song when my future seemed foggy and uncertain. I reflected on previous decisions I’d made previously in my life and was jealous of the fearless teenager who didn’t see an issue with this kind of uncertainty. I wished I was him for a second, I quickly realized he was kind of dumb though!”

Check out the song below. The There You Go! EP is out everywhere on March 31st via TEN Music Group.