Ben Marc Unveils Who Cares Wins Pt. 1 with Arrested Development, Kay Young & More

London-based musician Ben Marc has released the first EP installment of his upcoming album Who Cares Wins, arriving alongside a new video for the track “Love.” The EP follows last month’s opening single “Back Again,” featuring Arrested Development and Speech, and marks the beginning of a staggered rollout that will see two four-track EPs released in October and November, leading up to the full 14-track LP in December. Though conceived as a single body of work, Marc has chosen to let the music arrive in stages, mirroring his layered approach to composition and giving each chapter space to resonate before the full story comes together.

Even as Who Cares Wins carries a contemporary pulse, some of its quirkiest inspiration comes from an unlikely source: the ’70s detective series Columbo. Marc was as captivated by the adventurous jazz scores as by the title character’s rumpled charm, and that sense of curiosity and experimentation remains central to his own music. As Ethio-jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke once reminded him, “It’s for the people.” For Marc, that is the guiding spirit of this record—genre-bending, collaborative, and deeply human. Speaking about the track “Love,” he says, “Love is built out of unity and this song reminds me of ambling through a field hand in hand with joy. It brings a circular movement and repetition which enables growth, trust, and renewal—an endless rhythm that carries us back to one another.”

Marc is an artist who has always thrived on blurring lines. His career has taken him from collaborations with Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and Dizzee Rascal to world tours with Astatke and performances with the Sun Ra Arkestra. He co-founded the experimental trio Zed-U with Shabaka Hutchings and Tom Skinner, a project that ultimately connected him with Greenwood and Thom Yorke’s band The Smile. His stage name reflects his dual heritage: “Ben,” a nickname given to him in the jazz collective Tomorrow’s Warriors, and “Marc,” tied to his Birmingham roots steeped in reggae, hip-hop, and soul. Raised between Birmingham and the Caribbean island of Carriacou, he grew up absorbing a wide range of traditions that shaped him into a versatile player across bass, guitar, keys, and cello.

The seeds of Who Cares Wins were planted during the pandemic, while Marc was volunteering with the NHS. The project became a way to bring together the many sides of his musical identity. “I ended up thinking, ‘Well, it’s a genre — it’s just me,’” he explains. His 2022 debut Glass Effect distilled his influences into a playful, J Dilla-inspired fusion that Pitchfork described as “evocative and full of integrity.” But he considers it only the beginning. For this new record, he built his own studio, surrounded himself with synths, drums, strings, and guitars, and allowed a freer, more mature sound to take shape. The title flips the British Special Air Service motto “Who Dares Wins” into something cheeky and rebellious, perfectly reflecting the spirit of music that embraces grooves, samples, and collaborations as if there were no boundaries at all.

Across the album, Kay Young, Khazali, Wahid, and Speech each contribute their voices, adding distinct textures to Marc’s restless, yet grounded production. Tracks like “The Blues” and “Cheddar Man” reveal his playful side, while “Love” offers something more tender, built on repetition and renewal. With Who Cares Wins, Ben Marc continues to push forward, unafraid to take risks, and confident in the idea that music should connect us back to each other.

Who Cares Wins Pt. 1 Tracklist:

1. Love

2. Take Control

3. Back Again (feat. Arrested Development & Speech)

4. Get You Gone (feat. Kay Young)