Two years after their debut LP, the trio Magnetic Skies is poised to release their follow-up album, ‘Fragments,’ showcasing captivating contemporary electronica influenced by the visionary ideas of past creative geniuses.
Listen: “Everything’s Alright” – Magnetic Skies
Six years ago, singer Simon Kent and keyboardist Jo Womar united in England to form the new duo, Magnetic Skies. Since then, their lineup has grown, with drummer Lenin Alegria joining the group, as has their discography. Following a series of EPs and standalone tracks, they launched their first full-length album, Empire Falling, in 2023. In recent months, they’ve released several new singles, including “A Place on Earth” and “Back to Life,” which will appear on their upcoming sophomore album, Fragments, set to be released on November 7th.
Fragments – Magnetic Skies
The band describes their output during this time as “electro-retro-futuristic” music. According to frontman Simon Kent, this form of electronica resides “in the space between nostalgia and imagination.” It reflects how artists from decades past envisioned the future and contrasts that with our current reality.
Among the visionary figures that inspire the band are Ridley Scott, David Bowie, and Krzysztof Kieslowski. It will be intriguing to see how Magnetic Skies honors these influences while establishing their own compelling niche in today's musical landscape. The album launch will also mark the band’s inaugural tour across the United Kingdom next month.
Kent shared more about the forthcoming project and the artistic growth it signifies for the trio in the following interview with Atwood Magazine.
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Magnetic Skies formed in 2019. Reflecting on the past six years, what key moments or experiences would you identify as pivotal in shaping the group's current artistic identity?
Simon Kent: Magnetic Skies started in 2019 as a temporary project between Jo and me – a single show featuring vintage analogue synths and electronic drums. That initial idea quickly developed into a more enduring endeavor. A significant turning point was when we expanded to a four-piece while creating Empire Falling. It was a highly experimental period, both artistically and in determining our direction as a live band.
Over time, we transitioned to our current three-piece format, which feels like our essential core. We’re very much aligned in our artistic and personal goals, bringing a new level of focus to our music.
Performing alongside acts like Heaven 17, Altered Images, ACTORS, and Then Jerico at sold-out shows provided us with invaluable experience in engaging with live audiences. It bolstered our confidence and helped sharpen our identity as a live act.
Building a reliable visual team for artwork, videos, and photography has also been crucial – ensuring that our visual identity consistently aligns with our sound and the messages in our music. This creative control has been instrumental in defining who Magnetic Skies is, not only as a band but also as a complete artistic entity.
Fragments is the sequel to your 2023 debut, Empire Falling. In what ways does Fragments build upon its predecessor while carving out its own stylistic path?
Simon Kent: Fragments expands on the analogue synth textures we developed in Empire Falling but ventures into a more spacious and minimalist territory. As we evolved into a three-piece, we naturally simplified much of the guitar and live bass, partly to avoid redundancy and also because the new material – starting from the initial demos – was indicating a more introspective and atmospheric direction. Unlike Empire Falling, which presented a collection of thematically linked songs, Fragments was conceived with a clear narrative thread that resembles a journey. It’s more intentional, reflective, and perhaps more vulnerable as well.
Simon, you mentioned that “Fragments reflects a fractured, fast-moving world where identity, intimacy, and meaning feel increasingly elusive; where life, memory, relationships, and reality are broken into pieces, and each track endeavors to gather those fragments into something coherent and meaningful.” Can you highlight specific moments on the album that embody this theme?
Simon Kent: This theme permeates the entire album – every track serves as a fragment of something greater, collectively forming an emotional and psychological map. “A Place On Earth” captures feelings of dislocation amidst a backdrop of ceaseless noise and digital static – it’s about seeking a quiet space to simply exist. “Closing In” conveys the pressure and claustrophobia from forces that often remain unnamed yet are palpably felt. “Can You Feel The World?” questions whether we’ve become too disconnected – from nature, from one another, from meaning itself. “Your Shadow” delves into emotional absence and the challenge of bridging distances, while “Slow Motion” presents a fleeting glimpse of clarity – a moment where everything slows down, allowing
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Two years after releasing their debut LP, the Magnetic Skies trio is preparing to launch their next album, 'Fragments,' which showcases thrilling modern electronica influenced by the visionary concepts of previous creative geniuses.