Magik Markers - Surrender to the Fantasy

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 4 / 12 / 2013

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Review

After 'Boss', their 2007 LP for Ecstastic Peace, I had not heard anything new from this trio. 'Surrender to the Fantasy' thence came like a mildly confusing surprise. The two boy, one girl formula, all three in need of psychedelic assistence, has not changed, yet evidently the sound has matured. Still very much undefined but now utterly catchy, almost dream or angel like, their latest album digs out the best from the echelons of Live Skull and Sonic Youth. With quite a fresh approach, Magik Markers bring up new sides to archaics. Magik Markers' snotty lead vocalist Elisa Ambrogio sometimes finds herself drowning in the bluesy swamps of urban noise, which is not to say that she becomes incomprehensible, as that would be my point. In spite of the zany but muddy sound, and however low key or lo-fi the LP may be, the sloping sonics were recorded in crystal clear ways. Both quite tame it has to be admitted, and time consuming, Magik Markers have produced an album that hardly makes you look forward to their next album. In need of a pivotal lead figure, they've acquired all the credentials over the ages and prove they know how to hit the right chords. 'Young' starts off with great promise, yet ultimately sinks in mystified oblivion. Bereft of any fantasy, there remains very little to surrender to. Magik Markers are in dire need of a producer like Kramer or Albini to instruct them to cut it short.

Track Listing:-

1 Crebs
2 Acts of Desperation
3 Bonfire
4 Mirrorless
5 American Sphinx Face
6 Young
7 Empire Building
8 Screams of Birds and Girls
9 Wt

Band Links:-

http://www.last.fm/music/Magik+Markers
http://magikmarkers.tumblr.com/#7
https://twitter.com/TweetHassle

Label Links:-

http://www.dragcity.com/
https://twitter.com/dragcityrecords
https://www.facebook.com/dragcityrecor