Welcome to our latest NYLON.com feature, where we interview musicians you love and give you the chance to enter to win tickets to their upcoming tours! First up it's Slow Magic.
Musicians aren’t just music makers—they’re art makers, too. This concept is especially true of glo-fi musician Slow Magic, whose entire persona is based off of an eye-less DIY animal mask, decked out in neon stripes and fring-y bangs made of fabric strips.
You can search the Internet high and low for Slow Magic’s true identity, but chances are good that you probably won’t find it. That’s because when it comes to art, what you see is what you get. Perhaps not knowing anything about your favorite chillwave artist makes their whole aesthetic (live shows, listening sessions in your car) more whatever it is you want it to be and less about what it’s “supposed” to.
I had the chance to chat with the anonymous music maker about the best place to see the stars, what a Slow Magic comic book would be about, and…Emojis.
Photo by Luca Venter
If you could choose the best place in the world for looking at stars or watching a sunset, where would it be?
The best place I’ve been to look at stars is Iceland because it’s just so cool. You can get out where there are absolutely no lights and see crazy stuff. I saw the Northern Lights one day just walking home from a show in the city, which was really crazy. For a sunset, I think it’s cool that they can be so different depending on where you are, so I can’t really choose one place in particular for that.
What type of animal is your mask?
Well, it’s an imaginary animal, so really it’s whatever you want it to be. I’ve heard people see it as a lot of different things. If I had to choose one, I’d say it’s based on a colorful zebra.
Art by Jonas McCluggage
If there were going to be a comic book about Slow Magic and the “character” you are, what are some adventures you would go on?
I think it would sort of be like real life but just a little more crazy. So, like, there would be concerts involved. But outside of the concert I would be fighting crime or maybe helping out old ladies and stuff like that.
Your music could be a cool soundtrack to dreams, but your live shows are a bit wild. Pairing those together, what is one of the wildest dreams you’ve ever had?
I can actually think of a few dreams from when I was younger, where I was actually lucid dreaming. I could really just do whatever I wanted. I just remember I could actually figure out how to fly. It was really cool and really crazy, but then when you wake up, you just can’t go back to sleep.
Photo via Slow Magic on Facebook
What’s one of the best things you’ve heard one of your fans say about your music?
There are so many nice people, but it’s really cool for me to hear that someone was inspired to make something or do something creative. That’s always the best thing for me to hear, but people also just say really crazy things. Like, my new record is streaming now and someone said, “I’m afraid to listen to this because I think it’s going to be too good.” I thought that was funny because they were kind of freaking out about it. I think someone else said that they stopped breathing, too. I hope they weren’t being completely serious, because I would feel bad.
If you could redo the soundtrack to a movie that already exists, which would you choose?
That’s a good question. It’s definitely something I’ve thought about before. There are so many movies whose soundtracks I love, but I think from when I was younger I always thought it would be cool to rescore 2001: A Space Odyssey. The whole movie itself is just such a really good visual piece. I think it’s definitely something that could happen in the future.
If someone were going to cover a Slow Magic song but add their own lyrics, who would be your ideal vocalist?
There are so many artists I would love to work with. My favorite record last year was Rhye’s album Woman, so if they covered one of my songs it would be awesome. He’s just the best vocalist ever and the album is so beautiful.
Photo via Slow Magic on Facebook
What are some tips you would give to someone who was coming to their first-ever live Slow Magic show?
I would say they should make a mask (FYI, you can download one here) and bring it, and be ready for anything (you might want to bring ear plugs).
What was your favorite record when you were younger?
I can think of a few that I walked to the local record store in my small town to pick up, but one in particular was Panda Bear’s album Person Pitch. I had pre-ordered it, then walked over there to get it and I even showed it at school for show and tell, but no one liked it. They thought it was super weird and boring, but I’m sure they like it now. It’s just so good.
Photo via Slow Magic on Facebook
I know a lot of your song names are actually symbols instead of words, but I have to know how you feel about Emojis.
I like Emojis, they do the same thing that I was trying to do with the symbols, which was, try to have something more universal that anyone could see and know what it is. I think Emojis are cool. Maybe there can be an Emojis-only album title. I have a lot of favorite Emojis, but my friend sent me the snail and the magic ball for Slow Magic. I thought that was really cool.
Enter below for your chance to score a pair of tickets to see Slow Magic perform live in your city! Live in NYC? You'll also be entering for your chance to win the official Slow Magic 2014 Tour tee. Don't live in NYC? That means you'll just have to head out to the show and scoop up the awesome shirt at the merch table in your town!