Slow Magic, as his cryptic bio states, is our ‘unknown imaginary friend’. A successful but mysterious chill-wave producer (he’s remixed Gold Panda, Giraffage and XXYYXX) presented as a luminous mask – the hybrid of a fox, cat and dog. NAOMI FAYE gets the low down ahead of his appearance tonight – Wednesday, February 26 at Akuna Club, Llama Bar.
Acclaim Magazine describes his sound as ‘the aural equivalent of an Instagram filter’ and he’s been as secretive about his current location as he has about his identity, so I was surprised when he was candid enough to say he was calling from LA, finishing off the follow up to his successful 2012 release ∆ and working on a brand new remix for Flight Facilities.
Slow Magic is not the first artist to have a secret identity, but whether we admit it or not, anonymity does hold a fair level of intrigue. In this man’s case though, it isn’t a vain attempt to appear enigmatic, the electronic producer believing that secrecy brings the focus back to his music, connecting people to his sound.
“Even though it’s somewhat impersonal, I think it adds a personal ownership to the project that people can relate to,” says Slow Magic’s creator, feeling that his hidden identity has been a positive experience.
“The first time I played… I was talking to some random people and asking how my own set went. They told me without knowing it was me, and I realised I could get really sincere answers. It’s kind of scary, but it’s nice.”
Like the ambiguous mask the artist dons when he performs, Slow Magic likes his listeners to define him, not the other around. What he will say though, is that his upcoming release is a “progression, not a departure” from his last, and that his music encapsulates a sense of summery nostalgia, the first record ∆ being a summer’s day, and his new record being released later this year, a summer’s night.
Adding to Slow Magic’s overall allure is the project’s visual centricity, his videos are captivating and he takes the aesthetic side of his concept seriously – “I think that the visual aspect of music is almost as important as the music itself.”
He’s created an admirable paradox. Despite building a buffer between his real self and the public, his performances have one goal in mind – breaking down the barrier between artist and audience. At every performance, the producer finds a way to overcome the barriers of security and stage limitations and joins the crowd, often letting the audience play the drum pads along with him.
“I think overall it’s important to have the mentality that the people on stage and the people not on stage are all in it together, there’s no separation and sometimes it’s just there (the barrier) and… it can be broken down.”
We’ll soon be able join Slow Magic in smashing drums over his glittery glo-fi and the only reaction he wants from his Australian audience is surprise.
“I hope that it’s something they don’t expect…That’s really all I can ask I guess, that people will have a good time; there’s not much more.”
