Death Disco: Pure Sorcery

Feature by Cal Sweeney | 01 Feb 2011

The music industry seems to spend the first couple of months of the year crystal-ball gazing, looking beyond the grey mornings and trying to find the artists destined for success and capable of providing a musical shot in the arm. Even if you find the annually published hype lists predictable, there’s masses of online interest as blogs compete for credibility and aim to discover the year’s breakthrough talents long before you ever knew they existed. Credit has to go to Death Disco in February for attempting to untangle the PR lines as they present some genuinely talented and supported new artists.

On the surface, this month’s headline artist, The Magician, is the perfect example of a fresh-on-the-scene, hotly-tipped act. He ticks all the boxes: an online mixtape series with a cultish following, collaboration with established, major name producers and excellent remixes creating a clamour for the release of his debut solo material. However, that’s all a bit of an illusion. The Magician’s not quite as fresh faced and wet behind the ears as it might seem.

Stephen Fasano’s latest project may only be months old, but he knows this type of hype well from his time in cosmic disco heavyweights Aeroplane. His long partnership with Vito ended in the summer of 2010, just prior to the release of the pairing’s debut album and after becoming established as one of the most in demand remix and DJing duos in Europe. Speaking to Fasano, there’s no sign of any bitterness towards the split, only excitement for his new productions. “With Aeroplane I learnt a lot but, I love the new challenge! It's very exciting!” Though he does appreciate the freedom he now has producing solo: “With The Magician, I'm doing what I like without any concessions. You know when you're working with someone, it's always a deal to make the final decision.”

The sound of The Magician’s monthly mixtapes and early remixes for the likes of The Aikiu and Yelle don’t represent a great deviation from the italo flavoured disco of Aeroplane, but with The Magician he has been able to express himself outwith the music. Fasano certainly views The Magician as more than simply a new production alias: “I think it's important to introduce something else in a musical project. My girlfriend is working with me for fashion, we designed what I wear and some accessories. I'm also working with Belgian illustrators and producers to create the visual side of the project.”

Glasgow is a city that always has an appetite for the balearic beats and cosmic synths common in Fasano’s DJ sets, and he's played there numerous times before as Aeroplane and even for his third ever DJ set under the name of The Magician. Regarded as an extremely talented DJ, Fasano signs off with a pretty cheesy promise to live up to expectations, “Glasgow can expect some magical moments on the dancefloor!” If he delivers, then we can forgive the cringe-worthy line.

Playing in support of The Magician are an array of other fresh talents from close to home and further afield. Helsinki house pairing Renaissance Man, the multi-instrumentalist pop producer Bright Light Bright Light and New Yorkers Blondes will all be performing along with Glasgow’s own HaHaHa, the young Subcity beatmaker who deserves the platform.

 

DEATH DISCO : The Magician // Renaissance Man // Bright Light Bright Light // Blondes // HaHaHa Sat 19 Feb 11pm-3am. £14/£7 (sign up to DD mailing list for half price passes)

http://www.thearches.co.uk