Magnetic Man:
Magnetic Man
- Reviewed by John Price
- Published on February 1st, 2011 at 3:12p.m.
Brilliant. I could end the review there and it would be unquestionably accurate. I would rate it as one of the must have albums of the year, even if you don't normally listen to this type of music. Anyway...
Magnetic Man's self titled debut album is a collaboration of Skream, Benga and Artwork, all giants in dubstep. They're sort of a supergroup in a way. The album itself features several guest vocalists, including Katy B, Ms Dynamite, and John Legend. Yes; they got Ms Dynamite to do vocals and it works really well. Chances are you've already heard the product of these collaborations - they've had singles played out on national radio stations for the past several months, and for good reason - they're easily accessible to the kind of person who wouldn't normally think to listen to dubstep, or drum and bass, or any electronic music for that matter. Tracks like I Need Air and Getting Nowhere are a gateway drug into this world.
One of the hallmarks of a great album, in my opinion, is the ability to release any of the tracks as standalone singles successfully. I can see any of the tracks on this album easily becoming a single. Indeed, I Need Air and Getting Nowhere have already been released as singles. Couple this with the radio-friendly nature of the tracks and the unbelievable talent involved in their creation, it's hardly surprising that this album is so critically acclaimed. If you want to see what I mean by the talent of the people involved, watch this live performance of Perfect Stranger for BBC Radio 1 recorded last year at Maida Vale:
See. This isn't the exception either, it's the norm for the entire album. Go and buy it! Or if you can't really afford to buy any music in these belt-tightening times, go stream if on Spotify for free. You'll be doing yourself a favour!





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