Magic Still Exists by Agnes | Album Review
Swedish pop star Agnes drops her glittering ode to Disco with Magic Still Exists
I had not heard much from Swedish pop star Agnes, real name Agnes Thee Carlsson, prior to coming upon her latest album Magic Still Exists. The 35 year old singer has had quite a strong career since her start as a winner on Sweden’s second season of Idol in 2005. Her career only skyrocketed from there. Her first two albums would reach number 1 on the Swedish charts before she broke internationally into the dance charts with the single “Release Me”. After 10 years of work, Agnes wanted a break to center herself again. She told MuuMuse how refreshing it was to find herself and her sound during this time period:
“I started out when I was 16…and I felt like I had put myself in this little box. I felt like, okay, this is not me anymore. This is maybe who I was when I was 16, 17, 18, but it’s not me now… During that whole time I was writing music, but I didn’t want to have a deadline. I just wanted to write and feel whatever came. At the same time, I started to learn about production because before I was always like when I wrote a song, I had to have someone else in the room to do it, so that was a big door opener for me to be able to create something all by myself.”
What came from this was revitalized love for dance music and inspiration from 70s Disco icons like Sylvester and Donna Summers. She finally released her forthcoming album Magic Still Exists in October 2021.
The album opens with the glistening instrumental “Spiritual Awakening”. The hum of strings act as soft rush of light that brings in the start of the album.
“XX” is fantastic affirmation to show your true self. The song has a fantastic richness that mixes some of the robotic elements of 2000s dance music (at times reminding me of some of Daft Punk’s work) with subtle waves of disco elegance. Agnes’s vocals bring the power needed to push you past the insecurities and fears and free yourself. The song’s chorus, “Hello, precious/ Show off your colours/ X-X-press yourself/ (Free your mind and free your body)/ My bothers and my sisters/ Praise your existence/ X-X-press yourself,” feels like vow of acceptance that works beautifully as an LGBTQ+ anthem. The mix of hip shaking beats and uplifting words make this a wonderful listen.
The second single ,“24 Hours,” takes us to the discotheque with its cool yet electric feeling. I can hear some nods to Disco songs like Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” and ABBA’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme” through the foggy thickness in of some of the electronic aspects throughout the song. Again, Agnes’s commanding vocals provides the structure of confidence that this song on weathering hardships and heartbreaks needs. She told Scandipop the following about the central theme of the song:
“‘24 Hours’ is about going through the fire and the pain, how your life is turned upside down. Something extreme had to happen for you to wake up and see clearly.”
This was the first song I listened to off the album that completely sold me on the project. If you loved Dua Lipa’s modern disco sound on Future Nostalgia, then you’ll love this.
Our first intermission comes with “Freedom”. A mysterious ambient track that seeks to unify us in all our individual pursuits for freedom from worry, fear, and sadness.
The third single “Here Comes the Night” is much more traditionally disco influenced. It shimmers with the radiance of a mirror ball through the swell of strings, the momentum of keys, and funky guitar work. Agnes brings an almost spiritual energy to this release she gets on the dancefloor, “If you’re nothing but a dreamer (Dreamer)/ With a fearless heart/ If you wanna get lost together/ In the after dark/ Here comes the night.” This is another brilliant pop track that I continually find myself returning to again and again due to it’s infectious vibes.
“Love And Appreciation” brings to mind Madonna’s take on disco with her 2004 album Confessions on the Dancefloor. Agnes continues the themes of freedom and appreciation that the intermission “Freedom” reached for. She calls out to the universe to channel a sense of hope, positivity and love to surround those riding the highs and lows of life. The song is made to let your hair down and let the feeling of the song take you. It’s another great track to gas you up either on your own or at the club.
Our second intermission “The Soul Has No Gender” acts an almost gospel sermon to cast aside your preconceived notions and free your mind. Agnes’s spoken lines, “It’s time to set yourself free / Let go of everything that holds you back / Everything / The soul/ Has no / Gender,” grabs your attention as she seeks to unify her listeners.
The first track that didn’t grab me completely is “Self Made”. It’s heavy electronic production gets a little too abrasive at times. The song has brings to mind of the 80s electronic laden funk tracks that graced the airwaves. Agnes calls out the cut throat nature of self made culture while injecting the need for maternal love to bring people together in their pursuit for success. While I enjoy the overall structure and message of the song, it missed the mark a bit for me.
The first song Agnes teased off this project is “Fingers Crossed”. It’s the most modern sounding disco-pop track on the album. The song gives a sense of religious revelation through this new found love she has discovered. Agnes told Official Charts the following on the inspiration for the song:
“‘Fingers Crossed’ was inspired by the sense that nothing is impossible, because nothing is impossible! It’s a song that can lift you up to new dimensions and like a peaceful tank it crushes everything in its way. The song does not excuse itself and I don’t excuse myself.”
While I find it catchy and a great track to get you moving to, it’s a bit too Top 40 sounding for my taste. I feel the other songs a bit more personality when comparing them to this one.
Our final intermission comes with “Free Your Mind And Free Your Body”. The repeat the hook from the opening track “XX”, which acts as our closing statement as shed our troubles and find our own truth and peace of mind.
We close the album with the titular track “Magic Still Exists”. The track opens with some dramatic piano work that has strands of Elton John in its structure. We continue to echo the lines “Free your mind and free your body” through the track. Agnes’s words gives a touching sense of tenderness as she sings, “This wild world, it doesn’t owe us anything/ So raise your glass and let us all together sing/ Right here, right now, I got nothing more to wish/ With you, I know that magic still exists.” It’s earnest sense of gratitude no matter of successes and failures make this last call on the album a truly magical moment.
I am extremely happy that I stumbled upon this record with jumping down the rabbit hole of music suggestions online. Agnes does the disco justice through her modern dance-pop oriented approach. I had stated above that if you like Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia you’d like “24 Hours” and I want to extend that more broadly to the entire album. They are similar in their modern reinventions while Magic Still Exists brings its own unique take on the genre. Aside from only two tracks, “Self Made” and “Fingers Crossed”, that didn’t fully grab me, the album fantastic from start to finish. I think pop lovers, especially those loving this disco moment in the genre, will thoroughly enjoy this project. My overall thoughts on Magic Still Exists (note I am not including the prelude and intermission):
Loved it: “XX”, “24 Hours”, “Here Comes The Night”, “Love And Appreciation” & “Magic Still Exists”
Liked it: “Self Made” & “Fingers Crossed”
Disliked it: None
My overall rating: 7 out of 10.
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