Wilderness-based musician Marc Rigelsford (Magic Arm) unleashes his third album, Dance Mania
Magic Arm, the electronic project of Marc Rigelsford, has returned after a 10-year hiatus to release Dance Mania, a profound collection of driving electronic music centered around 432Hz.
Produced by: Magic Arm
Ten years ago, the world was in a completely different place. Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ was in the charts. Kanye was on top of the world with Yeezus. And Drake’s Nothing Was The Same was catching fire. It was also the last time Manchester’s Magic Arm released an album (Images Rolling).
It’s been a long ten years, but today the wait is finally over. Magic Arm has released his third full-length album. Culled from “lost recordings completed in the sanctuary of a former whiskey distillery on the Manchester fringes,” Dance Mania is a harmonious experiment in electronic expressionism. Coherent, cohesive, and captivating, Magic Arm’s 11-track project excels in keeping your attention through the duration.
With instruments tuned to 432 Hz, Dance Mania was designed to align with the natural tuning of the universe. Music theory suggests that music recorded in this tuning can allow for greater insights into mental and emotional clarity. In our experience, we gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of the wonderful expressions and thoughts conveyed over the 40 minutes and nothing more. But don’t get us wrong, the songs are delightful to hear. The soundscapes within Dance mania cut through the air like a warm knife through butter. Pleasing to the ear, the album stands as a beautiful, dense, and rewarding collection of ideas. At times sounding as if The Beta Band took valium and made music, Magic Arm’s latest endeavor is a triumphant return into a world of music.
Repetitive and pulsating, Dance Mania aims to put you in tune with the universe. And if that’s not the outcome, at least you’ve spent the better part of an hour listening to some great music.
Dance Mania is available on all streaming services today.
Standout Songs: Tracks: 432, Inconsistent Minds, Click of Dawn/Dessert, Circle, Good Views Near North
7.6
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