Hot on the heels of June’s Música Electrónica, Stockholm’s incognito dream team Floormagnet return with the deliciously dreamy ‘Magnetique’, available on Maesltrom Records / NewState Music.
Secretive Swedish sextet Floormagnet, each an accomplished producer in their own right, represent a broad spectrum of genres. They united over a common love – synth music from late 70’s electronic pioneers, such as Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre, their influence on 80’s trailblazers such as Human League and Yazoo and how in turn that sound developed through the 90’s with acts like KLF and labels including Guerilla, UMM, Limbo, Hooj Choons, Deconstruction and Renaissance. Floormagnet seamlessly provide the next step in this beautiful electronic music chronology.
From these influences, it’s Floormagnet’s love of Jean-Michel Jarre that shines through on ‘Magnetique’, including the brilliant nod to Équinoxe in the cover art, hinting at Floormagnet’s wider artistic creativity. In a parallel universe, Jean-Michel Jarre made Équinoxe not in 1978, but in the thriving techno scene of 1998. As the soundtrack to TRON. Think how amazing that music would sound in this parallel universe. And now hit ‘Play’ on ‘Magnetique’.
Electric Chocalhos begin to form the digital grid upon which dreamy delay synth walls are built around you as you start to navigate the mainframe. In front of you appears a character calling to you: ‘I’m in the space / You feel the same’. Floormagnet construct a melodic retro-future world around you using trumpets, 303s, thumping bass synths and ARPs constantly working in genesis throughout this incredible track. Climb aboard your Light Cycle and explore the digital world Floormagnet have built lovingly for your delectation.
Floormagnet tell us more: “Instantly when the melody came in place, we all truly felt this deep connection to our big inspiration Jean Michel Jarre and his late 70s sound. The vocals and other layers, like the beautiful trumpet, blended perfectly into the soundscape as it evolved. From there, we set the driving structure. Everything tied together with the bass, ARPs, 303, melodies and the rhythms. ‘Magnetique’ was finally crowned with an evocative vocal, ‘I’m in the space / You feel the same’, inviting you on an uplifting & rhythmic journey.”
With Música Electrónica and ‘Magnetique’, Floormagnet are taking electronic music to another level, effortlessly taking the vintage sounds of electronic music pioneers and transforming them into flawlessly produced timeless classics. And there is plenty more to come from Floormagnet over the rest of 2024 and beyond.
