Smartpunk Records' indie rock prodigy M.A.G.S. has released his new single "Sequence 07" in anticipation of his upcoming album CREATOR, set to release on August 23 via Smartpunk Records. It is an accompaniment and reimagination to last year's album Destroyer.
When discussing the track, Elliott Douglas (the man behind the moniker) says, "This was the very last song we recorded during our time together and we had limited time because Ehmed was scheduled to leave town that evening. We woke up early and just dove in head first. My nugget of inspiration was to recreate the feeling I get from the verses of 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None The Richer. I've loved that song since I was a kid, and honestly, I chase that feeling with so much of my music. There are a few songs that give me feelings I continuously reference, I think it's one of the reasons people call my music nostalgic all the time. I just love songs that sound happy and sad at the same time, like maybe the lyrics are kinda sad but the music slaps. That's definitely my thing. We had this one mostly done in about 3 hours. I think we really just wanted to make sure everything got done and pushed really hard right from the start of the day, also by this time the 3 of us were a well-oiled machine, and getting a vibe to build from only took a few minutes."
CREATOR was conceived and mixed by Elliott and was produced in collaboration with Jeremy Strange and Ehmed Nauman of Chicago's This House Is Creaking.
The experimental track, "Sequence 07," showcases a reimagined and reinvigorated side of M.A.G.S.' sound that exudes soul and a plethora of emotions that invigorate listeners with happiness, sadness, and nostalgia all at once. It is a first glimpse at the musical journey that lies ahead on the full album.
Speaking about the upcoming album, M.A.G.S. says, "I've been on my own wave for the majority of my career and CREATOR is the perfect example of what happens when I choose to create what feels right to me and not what is expected. With the help of two of my most talented friends, we reimagined my previous album Destroyer over the course of nine days in an apartment in Chicago in late 2023. Constructed entirely from my acoustic demos, we experimented and collaborated our way into a sound that goes far beyond what I ever thought M.A.G.S. was capable of."
Artwork Credit: Daniel Shahbazian
ABOUT M.A.G.S.
M.A.G.S. is the solo moniker for Buffalo-bred multi-disciplinary artist Elliott Douglas. His style seamlessly glides between genres ─ from funky garage rock to minty alt-pop with a punk-inspired energy. The release of his third full-length album Destroyer in 2023 via Smartpunk Records pushed Douglas into a more textural direction, dripping with flavors of post-punk while keeping his genre-bending melodies. Written by Douglas and produced by Jay Mass (Defeater), the album is about having to destroy yourself in order to grow and move forward — an extremely relatable phase in one's life.
M.A.G.S. released his first solo record in 2015, an EP titled Cellophane, and his self-titled LP arrived two years later — securing a seat amongst the most prominent indie/alt-rock artists. With his new batch of music, Douglas displayed marked growth in vocal prowess, overall musicality and lyrical bite through the release of 2020's Lost Tapes EP. Dougals' universal appeal feeds his success, and it's never at the expense of his art. Elsewhere in his blossoming catalog, songs like "MVP" and "Hi Tops" zig-zag from visceral, gnarly heavy metal to lo-fi folk-rock, respectively; his musicianship is a marvel to witness, each entry building on the last with refreshing acrobatics.
ABOUT SMARTPUNK RECORDS:
Smartpunk has been a recognizable name in the scene for a long time (Remember that sponsored Warped Tour stage?!). After exchanging several hands and countless ideas of what it could and should be, they decided to start a record label in 2016 with the main idea of focusing solely on reissuing records that have been out of print or never on vinyl. After all, they're a label of vinyl dorks themselves! After releasing Set Your Goals' Mutiny and Gameface's Good, they started to venture into signing newer bands. They actively balance in between many worlds — putting out amazing music from friends and bands that rock, reissuing older titles, and partnering with other incredible labels in our scene and doing exclusive color variants of their releases.
"Since forming the record label, Smartpunk Records has released timeless albums such as Less Than Jake's Anthem, Nominee's Lowlife, RIVALS' Sad Looks Pretty on Me, Virginity's POPMORTEM, and melodic skate punkers The Swellers' My Everest.