Magic Giant

Magic Giant first hooked us at their debut performance at DC’s Sweetlife Festival last May, kicking off a wild day headlined by Phoenix, Passion Pit, and Kendrick Lamar. From the very first strum of the banjo we were hooked. Their sound is unexpected, blending the melodic influences of 90′s radio, the warm twang of the South, and progressive modern dance music. The live performance is infectious, if you can get a festival crowds going before noon you are doing something right!

So over the next several months we tweeted & emailed about music and life spent between the coasts. Magic Giant, like Kick Kick Snare, hails from all over the world, with members from Washington, DC, Nashville, & Korea, that all came together under the California sun in Los Angeles. The group embraces its modern-day hodgepodge of cultural and musical backgrounds – think late night DJ take over of a barn party. Magic Giant has evolved into an electronic folk band that includes producer and songwriter Austin Bis on lead vocals, synthesizer and guitar; songwriter, mandolin, fiddle, and banjo player John Zambricki; and drummer and DJ, AJK.

Their debut track “Glass Heart” will blow the doors off a barn party, or any party for that matter. Deftly mixing a stomping folk beat, exuberant horns, and blazing banjo licks with a euphoric progressive dance melody fueled by pulsing synths that all come together for a hook so damn addictive you will be singing it all day long. It all started as a dream according to Austin, “I actually had a dream at 4am one night and woke my girlfriend up with, “Whoa, what was that chord progression you just told me in our dream!?” She obviously had no idea what I was talking about, so I spent the next four hours trying to remember it, which became the intro banjo part with the kick drum and horns. Zambricki and I finished the song that morning. To me the song’s about a girl with a troubled past who’s in a fragile place, and a man who wants to help her and love her.”

Do yourself a favor, click play and get ready for a barn burning experience. - Kick Kick Snare

The members of Magic Giant hail “from Washington DC, Nashville, and Korea, and [unite] in Los Angeles.” So I’m guessing it was its was either start a fusion food truck or a band. I’m glad they chose band because “Glass Heart” is a fantastic mix of folk and catchy rock. It’s only their first release but since they recently played the Sweetlife and Life Is Beautiful festivals alongside The Killers, Kings of Leon, and Passion Pit, I’m betting they have a handful more awesomeness up their sleeves. - The Burning Ear