Far From Melancholy
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines melancholy as “depression of spirits”. When I first listened to her debut album I definitely felt something, but it was far from melancholy. While she’s not your traditional rapper, there is an undeniable hip-hop presence to her music and lyrics.
With the current lack of female emcees in the game it was exciting to get the opportunity to provide a feature on this passionate, determined artist. She knew before she even started that it would be a long and difficult journey to break into the scene and establish a name, but that has only motivated her to work harder for it.
“It’s hard though, when everyone is trying to get heard, exposed or incorporated. When promoters are a dime a dozen and everyone’s got a good time to show ya. You wake up and spend countless hours on the internet promoting, and “networking”. You walk and drive endless miles and leave flyers in dozens of coffee shops, stores, bars, and people’s hands. You go to open mic, after open mic and spread the vibe. You engage in conversation after conversation and are constantly connecting with someone new. You practice your set over and over again, sometimes until you’re out of breath. Then you go to sleep and wake up, only to do it all over again.”
On June 23rd, 1985 in the Garden State of New Jersey, Magen was born. While still an infant she was relocated to Miami, Florida. At the age of 17 she was introduced to the independent hip-hop staples such as Atmosphere, Sage Francis and Aesop Rock. It was at that moment she knew what her future would have in store.
After graduating high school Magen worked a plethora of random jobs ranging from bartending to photography. Always searching for new experiences and excitement led to working a different job every six months or so. She has accredited the majority of the material on her debut album to workplace experiences. While her profession frequently changed, her passion always stayed the same… Creating music.
In January of 2009, in the midst of winter, she embarked on a “short-lived” tour prior to the completion of her album. Being able to perform in front of an audience was a significant improvement from being in a past group that parted ways due to her reserved nature and not being able to practice in front of her fellow band mates.
Music is not only your passion; it’s also your business. You drink it and you piss it. You eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. I’m in it for the long haul though, not because I chose it, but because it chose me.
The Short Lived Life of Magen Melancholy is her 8-track extended-play debut album. For an independent release, the construction is top-notch. The album is laden with synthesizers and drum machines laced with guitar riffs in a manner that flows together very well. Production was handled by Malark3y, a twenty-four year old beat-maker based out of California that Magen first met in 2003. She moved to the Golden State to continue towards the completion of the album with him in 2008. The project was years in the making and it shows.
Through the first listen of “The Short-Lived Life Of Magen Melancholy”, the nonchalant atmosphere of the record is immediately evident. There is an abundance of emotion in the vocals and they are hauntingly seductive. The lyrics have a poetic semblance and her flow is unusual yet unique. The end result is an absolutely bold, yet modest, genre-blending original piece of work.
I don’t know about you but with all the mind-numbing garbage the media shoves down our throat, it’s refreshing to hear a sound that isn’t based off the usual standards in the music industry. That’s what I try to accomplish with my music. That and to provide another kind of example and entertainment for those who just aren’t feeling that superficial hype.
In addition to composing innovative music and performing live shows, Magen is also the Founder/President of Intangible Innertainment, a creative collective of eleven musicians and artists. Services include webpage design, clothing and music production.
In conclusion, Magen is pushing past the inherent stigma against female emcees in hip-hop and bringing forth her own unique blend of music and artistry. She’s currently riding the release of her first studio album while working hard to ensure a complete and competent follow-up. Her next album, tentatively titled “Imp3nding Melancholy” is a project she’s been working on since the release of her EP. At this time, there has not been a release date set. With a business-oriented attitude combined with her musical talent ensures that Magen Melancholy’s future will be anything but short-lived…
Magen has also offered all of aboveGround’s readers a free download from “The Short-Lived Life of Magen Melancholy”. You can buy a digital copy of the album in it’s entirety on iTunes, Emusic or Amazon.
Magen Melancholy – FU | Download
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Don’t forget to follow Magen, as well as Intangible Innertainment on Twitter. She is also set up on MySpace and YouTube. Check out her website for further information.
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November 16th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Justin Elgie and aboveGround Magazine, Retweet Music. Retweet Music said: RT @agmstreetteam: New Post: Far From Melancholy http://bit.ly/1eJ8ad [...]
November 17th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
GET ‘EM SIS!!! =0) LLLOOOOVVVE YOUR FLOW AND ORIGINALITY =0D
February 14th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
It was a long time before Pierre could fall asleep that night. He
elavil
March 17th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Sounds intersting, however I’m not sure about the last part. I just don’t like it….