Magali, A Cult – Singularity (2020)
All relationships bring a range of emotions, but long-distance relationships can often be in their own class. Magali, A Cult is considering the emotional impact of these relationships through her EP Singularity. Taking on an electronic soundscape, each track is infused with a different emotion and focuses on a unique aspect of a long-distance relationship.
While Magali has always played instruments, she chose to produce everything electronically for this EP. Teaching herself how to record, produce and mix music, she condensed sci-fi aesthetics with astrophysics and planetary research to craft her sonic vision. This has resulted in a soundscape that is quite unlike anything else and draws on something that is fundamentally Magali.
The EP starts with ‘Heaven’ which has pounding drums from the first moment that shake any cobwebs from your brain. The cymbal tones over the beats add a paced higher level before the more melodic lines come in. Magali’s vocals hit like a ray of light from behind dark clouds. The build-up of the track reminds you of those first moments of a relationship where everything is perfect and you enjoy every second spent together. There is an interesting interplay between the beats and the piano line that is great to listen to.
‘Only You’ has a progressive opening that has this sparkling sense of wonder threaded into it. This gives way to Magali’s vocals. Her performance is bright and clear, but there is a little hint of melancholy lurking in her voice. The electronic tones of the melody enter hard. This is a very interesting cover of the song by Yazoo. The electronic elements add a modern edge to the song while Magali’s vocals are light and bring a new level of sadness to the lyrics.
The opening of ‘The Flower Bud’ is an interesting interplay between a piano line and cut synth beats. The flow of this continues once the vocals hit and creates a strange sense of unease. This feeling is enhanced by the vocals and the lyrics. The song makes you think of a day spent longing for someone who is far away and you can’t muster the energy to do anything. There are a lot of elements that come and go through the melody from bird song to electronically edge backing vocals. This all combines into a hazy track that perfectly captures the lethargic yearning many people face during a long-distance relationship.
‘Dragging My Shoes’ has a zinging opening that changes the pace from the depths of the last track. There is a more psychedelic vibe to this track than any other on the EP. There is still a sense of longing in the lower levels of the melody while Magali’s vocals have a hazy edge to them. Her high notes are amazing on this track and it really shows off her vocal abilities. Overall, there is a very interesting mixture of longing in the melody and happiness in the vocals.
The EP ends with ‘Stay With Me’ which draws you in with an almost atmospheric melody that gives way to thumping beats. The opening line has a melancholic feeling while the beats bring in a resolute vibe. This resolute feeling is compounded by the lyrics which also have a thread of melancholy in them. Though the lyrics, you are brought to an end of the journey of a long-distance relationship. The emotions of this track are relatable as many people have felt the sadness of a relationship coming to an end mixing with the resolution of ending it.
Magali, A Cult compresses the emotions of a long-distance relationship in her 5-track EP Singularity. Each track captures a different moment of the relationship and the emotions felt at the time. Threads of melancholy and happiness are woven across the EP for a relatable representation of these relationships.
Find out more about Magali, A Cult on her Instagram and Spotify.
