ODESZA & Slow Magic: Artists Who are Doing it Right

March 31, 2015 -

Courtney Pester

Over the past decade, electronic artists have successfully embedded a universal influence with cross-cultural resonances to create a genre so eclectic that every up and coming artist can bring new flavors to add to the pot. The introduction of new sounds are boundless and it has come to my attention that artists, in this day and age, are exploring different avenues of music that may even be reason for considering them their own genus. The seismic eruption of American Indie Electronic duo ODESZA in 2012 is the epitome of such unparalleled music.

Like many of you, I’m a huge fan of ODESZA. Whether I’m in the shower, in the car, doing yoga, cleaning my room, or—to be quite honest—getting down and dirty, ODESZA has been one group that I refuse to pass up listening to when my songs are on shuffle. They definitely have a spellbinding leitmotif in their music that can automatically be recognized by anyone familiar with them.

Which brings me to Slow Magic. The first time I heard Bear Dance was an indelible memory; I was driving through the Berkeley Hills mid-sunset and it popped up on my ODESZA Pandora—I completely lost it. Though Slow Magic and ODESZA have distinctive sounds, there is something transcendental about both of their melodic beats that send me on a wavelength of tranquility. After procuring every single ODESZA track as well as everything Slow Magic has ever released, I noticed that both artists remixed each others songs, which got me all hot and bothered (in the best way possible).

Slow Magic- Waited 4 U (ODESZA remix)

This just sends me to the clouds—so many numinous sounds that give the song that ODESZA umff. ODESZA manages to subtly fluctuate the pace of the song to perfection, giving the overall track a completely different, more energetic feel. In addition, ODESZA uses a lot of vocal repetition of the main riff, more frequently and earlier on in the song in comparison with the original. The electronic keyboard is fire and the addition of basic percussion and timbres to add more layers. The duo also incorporates a lot of sounds similar to a wind chime or a bird chirping. Once again the track is nothing short of an enchanted carpet ride to the land of unicorns, TempurPedic mattresses, Hi-Chews, and all other things of majestic nature. The OG is just as dope; Slow Magic focuses more on the rhythm throughout, varying on degree of vocal input, but both definitely have their own discernible flare. You can check the original here:

ODESZA – Say my name (Slow Magic remix)

I’m pretty sure I have four different versions of Say My Name on my iTunes but can’t bring myself to delete any of them because they all encompass such zesty feels. I can’t even decide which remix is my most loved, but I know that Slow Magic’s rendition is pretty damn fresh. He focuses a lot on the piano, not so much on tweaking the beginning vocals. For some reason I kept thinking of a piano version of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” as the song set in motion. I think Slow Magic preserves the most captivating parts of the song while still adding his own twist; in general he gives it a fairly slower, more relaxed vibe. Getting a little deeper into the song, you get a taste of synthpop, as well as some trappy drums and a wee bit of beautiful guitar thrown in there. Overall the gentle piano and the energy from the synthesizer give the track a nice balance. Brilliant execution, Slow Magic.

If you haven’t heard the original, which most likely means you’ve been living under a rock, have yourself a listen:

Other ODESZA Remixes

While remixing is nothing new, it is more often than not a meager attempt to surpass the original. It remains extremely difficult for artists to recreate unoriginal material that includes character and quality, but ODESZA isn’t one to disappoint. I was wonderstruck by how flawless the duo’s remix of ZHU’s “Faded” was, as well Ki:Theory’s Open Wound. They can pull off rejigging these mixes as well as other tunes by integrating their unique blend of sounds to make it very similar to their own tracks, making me love them all the more.

Likewise, Slow Magic has the capability of fine-tuning other artists content to invent something just as enjoyable. I know he has been on the map since he released his album Triangle in 2012, but he didn’t blow up until 2014 with the release of How To Run Away. And since then, we’ve been getting nothing but the good good from this enigmatic fox. Here are a few tracks that he has worked on that I go crazy over.



Written by Courtney Pester

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