EP Review by Mark Bayross
Magnet is Norwegian singer-songwriter Even Johansen, an artist who won plaudits all round with his debut EP, WHERE HAPPINESS LIVES, not least from Mark and Lard, who made it Record Of The Week. This time, for his sophomore EP, he has drafted in the services of Steve Osborne, producer of the likes of U2, PJ Harvey and Doves, to mix the title track.
The resulting shuffling beats and stabbing strings enhance Johansen’s plaintive vocals, giving the song an impressive Radiohead feel, but unfortunately second track LITTLE MISS MORE OR LESS suffers without them, plodding along fairly ineffectually.
Things improve considerably with the brooding spaghetti westernisms of HOME SONG, while The Psychonauts spook things up nicely with their remix of I’LL COME ALONG.
In all, it’s much more hit than miss and is well worth investigating.