premiere: get lost in m.a.g.s. post-punk opus “smile”

I can count on roughly one hand the music videos where the video and the song rise to the same heights in exactly the same ways. Framed like a short film whose twists, turns, and hyper-specific details would make Charlie Kaufman jealous, M.A.G.S. presents an absolute opus in “Smile.” The song’s perfect blending of driving intensity and laid-back charm matches the video’s left-field gumshoe narrative. Vibrant and inventive both, Elliott Douglas hits the scene a full-on post punk auteur. We can’t wait to catch what he does next.

Douglas tells us the song is “post-punk dream pop-anthem written about the intense emotion of a typical lovers quarrel. Choosing brutal honesty over tactful bedside manor, apathy over compassion and the undying desire to be in the right in a situation where the biggest thing at stake is each other’s feelings. The push and pull of emotions and the fiery anecdotes that engulf every disagreement eventually collapse into a singular moment of exasperation when you realize you don’t remember what you were even fighting about. Smile explores the dark, brooding thoughts of one person’s longing to change and trying to find a middle ground between two peoples needs.”

Check out M.A.G.S.’ latest EP on Bandcamp, and keep up with Elliott Douglas at @elliott_mags on Twitter.