Artist: Magic Man
Album: You Are Here EP
Genre: Indie, Pop, Electronic
Label: Neon Gold

The most exciting thing about this EP is the whirlwind journey it takes you on.

Listening to it in full, the debut EP by Magic Man, You Are Here, is almost like that perfect mixtape you take on a road trip, one that just happens to correspond to each city you drive through. The listener begins with “Texas,” a song that provides a demonstration of the massive vocal range that Magic Man has to offer. The song bares resemblance to something off of Passion Pit’s Gossamer, giving listeners a taste of the glorious synth-pop to come.

Next, we are flown to the glittering city of “Paris,” and while there, the listener is introduced to a fast-paced melody complete with lovesick lyrics that pair well with the “city of love” title. Magic Man accomplishes this track with finesse, and the listener can truly feel the emotions brought forth by endearing vocals. While the song is upbeat with lyrics that don’t really match, this song still seems to work well.

With the track “Everyday,” Magic Man takes a pit stop from their musical journey, seemingly in order to reexamine where they’re at. With a sound like David Bowie mixed with a Matt & Kim bounce, this track is a definite standout on the EP.

When the listener finds him/herself in the frigid climate of Canada with “Nova Scotia,” Magic Man delivers a more alt-rock presence reminiscent of the Canadian Arcade Fire. Though the song isn’t as synth-centric as the rest of the EP, the dance quality of the genre is felt in the undertones of the song.

The final track, “Waves,” encompasses a ‘90s radio rock quality with hints of the Asian-sounding synth seen most recently with the new Phoenix record, which creates an extremely elegant, yet edgy sound.

All in all, I thought that this EP was a great debut by the Boston group. It’s clear that the band gravitates toward a very precise sound, which isn’t a bad thing, though I think that Magic Man could stand to branch out a bit more. I really enjoyed the indie side of the EP, and if more of that sound was present in the EP, it could have been even better.

SCORE: 7.5/10

Review written by: Rebecca Docter — Follow her on Twitter

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Brian Leak

Editor-In-Chief. King of forgetting drinks in the freezer. Pop culture pack rat. X-Phile. LOST apologist.

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