Kansas City, Missouri
I write songs,
make records, and
help ideas take shape.
I’m David Bennett. I make music as akkilles and work with artists through Aorist Audio. My practice spans songwriting, production, audio, teaching, and building creative businesses.
akkilles
My own songs. A place for melody, atmosphere, and the things that stay with us.
akkilles is my ongoing work as a songwriter, performer, and recording artist. The catalog moves between indie pop, guitar music, and more spacious, ambient pieces—from Something You’d Say to recent singles.
Aorist Audio &
creative collaboration
From the first idea to the finished piece, I work across the creative and technical sides of making something worth hearing.
My work brings together songwriting, arrangement, performance, recording, editing, and mixing. Sometimes that means making a record together. Sometimes it means helping someone develop the skills and confidence to make their own.
Records & songwriting
Song development, arrangement, recording, production, and mixing. Bring a rough idea, a demo, or a project that needs a way forward.
Start a music project ↗Teaching & mentorship
Songwriting, musical foundations, and production workflows. My teaching experience includes songwriting, piano, and guitar at the UMKC Conservatory Academy.
Explore mentorship ↗Voice, podcasts & sound
Dialogue editing, audio repair, voice production, sound design, and soundscapes. Clear sound and careful pacing for work beyond the record.
Discuss an audio project ↗Creative business
Small business ownership, customer experience, business development, and lead generation are also part of my background. I bring that practical perspective to creative projects.
Talk about a collaboration ↗Made with others.
A few collaborations from a wider body of work.
Rhea Silvia × akkilles
Glimpse (What It Feels Like) · Colorize / Enhanced Music · 2025
Featured artist, composition & production
Quiet Takes
San Fidel · Weekly, Weakly
Audio engineering, production & songwriting
Melas Leukos
Fable
Audio engineering, production & songwriting
Sinple
O
Audio engineering & production
The Angry Belly Podcast
Podcast audio
Audio editing
A little more
about me.
I’m a Kansas City musician, producer, audio engineer, teacher, and small business owner. Writing is part of my foundation; music is where many of those threads come together.
My experience includes writing tutoring, music education, studio work at Element Recording, Apple’s sales and customer experience teams, and building Aorist Salon & Studios.
I moved to Kansas City around 2009 and began playing open mics and sharing songs online. The name akkilles came from my love of Achilles’ story and a struggle I saw in art and in all of us: the pull to make work and the pull to be known for it.
My releases include Something You’d Say, Like You, and Glimpse (What It Feels Like) with Rhea Silvia. Alongside my own recordings, I’ve helped other artists write, perform, and produce their work. That combination of artist, collaborator, and teacher is the foundation of Aorist Audio.
Writing & ideasWriting · language · storytelling
Music & educationSongwriting · piano · guitar · arrangement · performance
Audio & productionRecording · editing · mixing · dialogue · sound design
Business & technologyEntrepreneurship · customer experience · business development
What are you
working on?
A record, a new skill, an audio project, or an idea that needs a collaborator. Tell me a little about it.