Magic Wands – Wishing Well (Digital EP – Metropolis)
The American duo Magic Wands—comprising Dexy Valentine (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Chris Valentine (guitar, vocals)—have already released several notable albums and returned this spring with this six-track EP. It features three new songs alongside three familiar tracks presented in a fresh guise.
Magic Wands remain true to their musical identity, carefully blending Dream-Pop with a touch of Shoegaze. The guitar remains the musical highlight, creating a distinctive, dreamy atmosphere while adding a certain zest to the songs. Synths introduce an extra melodic—and at times melancholic—touch to the overall sound. Add to this the dry snare drums reminiscent of the golden era of the 80s and Dexy’s lovely, ethereal vocals, and the result is simply superb. I was particularly impressed by the first two tracks, both of which are new material. The opening track hints at Dark-Wave, yet that dark, dreamy quality remains the band’s trademark. The familiar tracks include the former single “Sacred Mirrors” (featuring Psychedelic Furs guitarist John Ashton), a remastered version of “Wishing Well,” and a remix of “Golden” (originally from their previous album). While these are all good songs, they fall just a notch below the two opening tracks, with “Starline” standing out as my absolute favorite.
Magic Wands continue to do what they do best: cool Dream-Pop. (Rating:7½).
Listen to “Starline”:
About Magic Wands
Magic Wands is a dream pop duo from Los Angeles, California, formed by Dexy Valentine (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Chris Valentine (guitar, vocals). The project started in 2007 with the single “Teenage Love”.
The debut album “Aloha Moon” appeared in 2011, followed by “Jupiter” in 2015, the “Lazer Bitch” 7-inch on Cleopatra in 2016, “Abrakadabra” in 2018 and the self-released “Illuminate” in 2020.
The duo moved to Metropolis Records, which issued the singles “Joy” and “Time” and the album “Switch” in 2023, followed by the remix album “Switched”. “Hide” and “Armour” came in 2024, and “Across The Water”, “Time To Dream” and the LP “Cascades” in 2025. “Wishing Well” is the duo’s six-track EP for the label.
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