Magnet, so named for a rectangular tattoo on his shoulder, simply makes beautiful music. He invites you into his room with a music box allure and a soothing voice which complements the layered acoustic vibe of Tourniquet with a genial embrace. Even Johansen (Magnet’s real name) crafts songs of relationships with friends and lovers by weaving together tales of longing and words of counsel with lovely melodies and a temperate use of effects.
A conspicuous element here is the purposeful similarity between tracks that creates a cohesive sound from beginning to end. For those who like to set a mood with a CD and have it follow through until completion, Tourniquet accomplishes that end. In fact, this may be the perfect, stay-at-home date soundtrack, to be played especially for someone you want to get closer to.
Magnet also ironically adds artistic interest with the sparse use of effects. Particularly clever are the child’s piano combined with what sounds like a child’s footsteps on “The Pacemaker.” Likewise, the eerie, ghost-like quality of “Jaws” is made creepier by the ordinary sound of keys dropping in the background. But compared to tracks like “The Day We Left Town,” from his first album, Johansen is capable of much more dark drama than is really present on Tourniquet. The dreamlike quality here conjures up nothing more foreboding than visions of scarves billowing in slow motion.
For more info see: homeofmagnet.com
