Magic Island - ​New Colors

Magic Island

​New Colors 
self-released; 2015

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The four-membered band Magic Island from Massachusetts has already seen much success through their music, such as being noticed in blogs and magazines, making it to the finals of a band tournament and winning a free recording session. Their EP New Colors, recorded during the free session, is a further success and will doubtlessly bring them even more attention.

The opening title track of the EP begins with a minimalistic guitar riff backed by simple percussion and bass lines. As the vocals come in and multiple guitars join the fray, the song’s complexity gradually broadens as the beat of the song simultaneously intensifies. Drew Valera’s voice does not distract from the song at all, yet it contains enough distinction that it is not soon forgotten amidst the instrumentation.

“Passion is Infinite” begins rather atmospherically, then dissolves into a catchy, moderately paced groove, paving the way for harmonious melodies and melodic riffs from guitars. This tune exudes a slight wistfulness while maintaining an energetic, bright feel. The balance between the two polar auras gives this song a maturity and speaks to the band’s pure talent.

The EP ends with “Boom King,” arguably the best track on the record. The catchy feel of the instrumentation blended with the creative lyrics and classic format of the tune bring the elements of the EP into one collective whole. The listener is quickly sucked into this song, and as the song’s vitality increases, so does the listener’s enjoyment.

Quality trumps quantity, and while New Colors is only three tracks in length, the sheer caliber of the songs included in the eleven minutes of music is a tremendous testimony to the very auspicious Magic Island and their cohesiveness as songwriters, as performers, and as a band.

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