Jackson Wang has finally pulled MAGIC MAN out of the hat.
The singer, songwriter, performer and producer released his sophomore album MAGIC MAN on September 9 via TEAM WANG records/88rising Records/Warner Records/RYCE MUSIC GROUP. MAGIC MAN comes almost three years after Jackson Wang’s debut album MIRRORS; during these years, Jackson tirelessly worked on the different sides of his career. With music, Jackson worked on defining his solo career and sound, giving listeners and fans something to always look forward to.
MAGIC MAN contains a total of 10 tracks, including the pre-released singles ‘Blow’ and ‘Cruel’, and the newly released ‘Blue’. MAGIC MAN takes inspiration from 70s rock and is described an energetic and gritty exploration of toxic love and self-discovery. In the album, Jackson shows his most vulnerable side, letting his deepest emotions to surface under the laws of mystery, temptation and confusion. About the album Jackson says, “MAGIC MAN is the ultimate form of oneself, having gone through different peaks and valleys of life to arrive at the most authentic version. Everyone is able to become their own form of MAGIC MAN.”.
MAGIC MAN opens with the pre-released singles ‘Blow’ and ‘Cruel’.
Read more about ‘Blow’ and ‘Cruel’.
The new single ‘Blue’ is mellow and has a tranquil, soft atmosphere compared to the two previous releases. The song has smooth groves and a muted effect, making Jackson’s voice stand out and grab listeners’ attention, making the song feel more personal and intimate. In the lyrics, Jackson explores the emotions of ‘feeling blue’, being stressed and lonely. Ultimately, Jackson knows that he can find solace in “you”, “When the water runs dry / I know that I can always come find you / You’re the only one that picks me up / When I’m so blue / Can you feel it, too?”.
The emotions and thoughts Jackson pours out in the lyrics find a visual representation in the music video for ‘Blue’. In the video, Jackson floats and immerses himself – and us – in what could be his dream. Jackson is free falling from a sombre and dark sky, going through flames and ending into a pool of water. The minimalistic – yet excellent – cinematography and colour palette match the lyrics and the mellow sound of the single. The music video for the single ‘Blue’ is directed by Jenna Marsh (Dua Lipa, Lauv).
MAGIC MAN also contains the sultry ‘Champagne Cool’, a song with a sensual bass and a groovy rhythm; the lyrics about fame are drowned in confidence.
With ‘Go Ghost’, Jackson tries a slightly new sound with a modern R&B with a guitar and neo-rock undertone. ‘Drive Like You Stole It’ lingers in the previous track’s sound and has Jackson’s soft raps and falsetto. The falsetto gets its spotlight on the track ‘Come Alive’; the song maintains an alt-rock sound while mixing some of the sounds explored in the previous tracks.
‘Just Like Magic’ starts with an ethereal reverb of Jackson’s voice singing almost like a mantra, “It’s just like magic”. The sound begins with a mid-tempo pop and then explodes with a rock-pop guitar in the chorus. ‘All The Way’ opens with a distorted guitar that develops into a more powerful alt-rock sound with a heavy riff that keeps repeating over the whole track. ‘Dopamine’ sees Jackson returning to the uplifting and stylish R&B sound he has been exploring over the years in particular, in the mixtape Lost & Found.
Jackson Wang is safe to consider MAGIC MAN already a successful release. At the time of writing, the album has reached number 1 on the iTunes Top Albums chart in 30 countries, including Argentina, Hong Kong, India and Singapore. The single ‘Blue’ has climbed to the top of the iTunes Top Songs charts in 17 countries.
Like a magician, with MAGIC MAN Jackson Wang has shown that he has many new tricks up his sleeve. We can’t wait to see what other magical music number Jackson will show us.
