Yeah, look, I know I’m probably not going to introduce anyone to Magic Sword. The Idaho based project is not a secret to anyone well versed in the ever-growing realms of synthwave. In my defense, I noticed we’ve never covered Magic Sword explicitly on the blog and the new album, Awakening, is really, really good. So, I’m going to pretend you know nothing about this act and just write this post that way? Alright? Cool. So! Magic Sword. Hailing from Boise, Idaho, Magic Sword has dealt in the kind of 80’s movie soundtrack type of synthwave for four years now. In that time, the project has explored many sounds, sometimes delving deeper into darker themes, but always dedicated to groove and rich, full sounds that put most of the genre to shame.
On Awakening, that darker tinge is definitely in full effect, fueled by a tale of light versus darkness that’s as old as time itself. At its center, the eponymous magic sword rises to save creation from the void. The sounds which accompany this tale remind us of acts like Le Matos (who made the excellent OST for the equally excellent Turbo Kid) or Ogre‘s more epic yet introspective moments. To wit, Awakening takes things slow; you won’t find any breakneck beats or world ending drops on this album. Rather, except a the kind of wonderlust that most categorizes the weirdly named “outrun” genre; this is probably Magic Sword’s most “outrun” release. The result is an engaging album, filled with more lighthearted tunes, like the self-titled “Awakening”, but also darker, more insidious, slower vibes like “The Harbinger” or the metal-tinged “Reborn”, which also contains one of the best beats and guitar lines on the album.
Bottom line, this is another great list from one of the best synthwave projects out there. As usual, recommended consumption is with the windows rolled down, the music blaring from your car speakers, and your sunglasses fully tinted.