THE MAGICIAN at Wrongbar (1279 Queen West), Saturday (January 22). $10. TW. See listing.
Last June, Belgian futuristic disco duo Aeroplane were just weeks away from releasing their debut full-length album, We Can’t Fly, when they announced that Stephen Fasano was quitting, leaving Vito De Luca to run the project solo.
Since then, Fasano has re-emerged as the Magician, and judging from the lukewarm critical reception to the 70s soft-rock vibes on his former project’s album, getting the boot may have been a blessing in disguise.
“Different musical directions were not really the reason I left,” Fasano says. “My approach to music now is the same as when I was in Aeroplane. It’s mainly about 80s disco, pop and house. The difference is that Aeroplane were always about concessions. With the Magician, there is just one mind.”
De Luca’s version of the split emphasizes the division of labour. He took on most of the studio and musician duties, and Fasano brought the perspective and ear of a club DJ. Writing most of the music, De Luca gradually became unreceptive to Fasano’s suggestions, which might explain the album’s less dance-floor-friendly tone.
Since the breakup, Fasano has cranked out six editions of his free Magic Tape DJ mixes and learned the studio skills needed to get back in the remix game. Nothing has been officially released yet, but his uplifting gospel-house reworking of Lykke Li’s I Follow Rivers is turning heads.
“I’ve started by pushing the Magic Tape mixes because I’m a DJ before a producer. When we split up, I had never produced alone, so it took some time to have something good enough to release.”
The DJ mixes give you the best idea of what to expect at Wrongbar on Saturday. While he may love his classic Italo disco and Balearic sounds, the tracks he plays are more modern, albeit heavily influenced by the history of club music.
“I’m waiting for some new stuff before making the next Magic Tape, since they mainly feature upcoming and new releases and it’s usually pretty calm the first two weeks of January. I think I’m gonna do it while touring the U.S., before the end of the month.”
benjaminb@nowtoronto.com
