archive review – originally posted on the losing today site c. 2005
MAGNET
HOLD ON
(Atlantic)
Okay imagine those drip dried chill out soundscapes that lushly adorned Goldfrapp’s ‘Felt Mountain’ are the universe, and in a tiny corner of that universe you could, if you scrunched up your eyes, see both the Earlies and Tuung doing choreographed celestial cartwheels to a backdrop whose template vision was to take Butler and McAlmont’s heart stopping near pop perfection personified ‘Yes’ and work into it the tipsy banjo moments from the score of ‘Once upon a time in the West’ and then get Brian Wilson to oversee the whole operation. Then as a final icing decorate it with an exquisite ethereal and emotion wrenching glow – the resulting epic ladies and gentleman would not sound a million miles away from this trippily symphonic honey combed delicacy. What Magnet (Even Johansen) has ventured here is a modern pop classic for ‘Hold on’ is a rollercoater of emotional high’s, low’s, hopes and falls all distilled into a perfect bite sized portion of easily the most exhilarating three and a half minutes you’ll hear all year – and with a full length entitled ‘the Tourniquet’ to follow shortly who’d bet against it being an albums worth of tiny pop miracles. Pre order the album via the HMV website and get an exclusive 7” gratis – go to http://www.hmv.co.uk . http://www.homeofmagnet.com
the sunday experience 