What could possibly be more comforting than waking up and turning on a track like Magic Man’s blissfully-nostalgic track “Paris?” I can’t think of anything except for say waking up next to your lover and playing the track; maybe you’re listening to it over a cup o’ joe. From the moment the piano bounces its way through your ear-drum, the synths chime in, and the drums mosey on in, you’re senses are awakened and your ears are alive with a springy buzz.
But now sweetheart, listen to the way I
Cannot forget a single day I
Spent rolling all around the room with you.
It’s just a fantasy, taking over like a disease
Pull me out of this I can’t breath
It’s burning through my chest.”
The story here is one that seems appropriate for a Saturday. It’s about a lost relationship; one that lives inside his head rather than manifesting itself in real, tangible life. Throughout the track he reminisces on the things he should have done, should have taken note of, been keen to — things I’m sure we can all agree are close to impossible to do in the throes of infatuation. I often struggle with living between the life-is-right-now-do-what-the-moment-calls-for type of mentality and the tomorrow-is-very-real-plan-for-that kind of mindset. In relationships, you have to walk the wire between the two. You walk above shoulda’s and aught to’s and skirt around dealing with the reality of the situation. Which leads me to question whether or not we ever fall for someone or if really we ironically fall in love with the ideas of the days ahead we can spend with someone. I’m slowly becoming an optimist and because I woke up happy and I’m excited to see this new, more honest type of thinking working in ways I was hoping for but not expecting I’m going to argue the former. Although, it could very well be I am in the thick of infatuation and I can’t see beyond it. Perhaps I’ll wake up one day and sing this tune to the name of New York (which doesn’t hold as much romanticism as Paris does, does it?).
No matter. I’m just going to keep this track going, get day-drunk off its joyous synths and Foster The People meets Passion Pit vibes. Magic Man describes themselves as a “triumphant synth rock band.” They could not be more right. They’ve found the triumph in an emotion that could have easily lent itself to a morose, mopey tune; which gives me hope that something good can exist even in life’s rawest moments.