Magic Number’s last release might have been some time ago, but you’ve probably been routinely listening to the major force behind the project. Ross Hillard’s masterful musicianship shines through in many notable dance music releases. Having honed his skills whilst crafting his forthcoming second long player, the breathtaking first single, ‘Good Morning Sunshine’, is now ready for us to enjoy.
This positive, anthemic gem is driven by the vocal talent of Sophia Marshall, heard elsewhere with the acclaimed The Havenots on Cooking Vinyl Records. Her memorable vocal hook is followed by an empowering story of taking back control of life. She prompts us to not let life pass us by and to relish those precious moments with those we love. A superb, darkly humorous animated video complements the release. As Sophia’s vocals remind us all “You can’t change the world when you’re ten feet underground”, a post-burial, cartoon corpse comes back to life. The reanimated character then amusingly performs the ensuing story of positive living. Propelling these sentiments further, uplifting jazz-inspired drums and horns intensify throughout the song, culminating in a superb trumpet solo: a crescendo leaving us craving an encore.
From the well-received ‘That Day’ LP, released through the esteemed Mantis Recordings in 2004, Magic Number is a renowned downtempo and orchestral composer. His engineering and bass playing can be experienced through releases featuring Louie Vega, Kerri Chandler and, of course, Atjazz, the originator of Mantis Recordings and owner of the eponymously named home of this release. It’s Ross Hillard’s evolving talent that leads us to the renaissance of the Magic Number project; creative songwriting, explorative composition and high-end production that can all be experienced throughout the forthcoming LP, Badly Written Songs. This first instalment, ‘Good Morning Sunshine’, is available August 18th on Atjazz Record Company through all leading streaming and download sites.
Stream ‘Good Morning Sunshine’ HERE
Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff
