Magua, a solo musician from Kyiv, Ukraine, stands out for his incorporation of various genres like breakbeat, punk, electronic, hardcore punk, grunge, folk, and funk. The band started their journey in 2007 with three members, concentrating on creating new music and touring Ukraine. The debut of their first album, “AGATA,” in 2016 was a critical moment in their musical development. Nevertheless, there was a notable change in 2018 as Magua shifted to being a solo venture. This change resulted in the debut of the song “Ран Лола Ран” accompanied by a live performance video. Magua broadened their creative horizons by releasing the EP ‘Bingo’ in 2022 and the video “ХАЛІВАР,” a powerful response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During the years 2022 to 2024, Magua continued to tour extensively in the UK and Europe, all the while working on new material that strengthened their unique sound and artistic direction.
Dropped on August 30th, 2024, Magua’s music video for “Laser” is a bold and highly stimulating investigation of the influence of digital technologies on contemporary society. Magua mix various musical styles like breakbeat, punk, electronic, hardcore, grunge, folk, and funk to create a unique sound that cannot be easily defined. Through “Laser,” Magua maintains the tradition of blending genres and explores the visual arts in a video that is just as daring and unconventional as his music. The music video combines visual and auditory elements in an intriguing way, aiming to create feelings of unease and intensity.
The primary thing that catches the eye in “Laser” is the unique low-quality visual style of the video. This seems to be an intentional artistic decision instead of a technological constraint. The video appears to have been extensively color grading, featuring intense contrast and a stylized, dreamlike filter that either enhances or alters colors. This decision generates a surreal ambiance, blending the lines between reality and digital alteration. The visual outcome is shocking and disturbing, reflecting the complicated connection numerous individuals hold with the digital realm—a connection that is both engaging and isolating.
Magua’s incorporation of visual elements in “Laser” intensifies the feeling of confusion even more. These impacts are more than just tricks; they symbolize the flawed and occasionally disorderly characteristics of digital technologies, mirroring how they can alter our view of reality. The distortion and static give the impression of being broken apart, as though the video is having difficulty staying together in a world of constant information breakdown and reassembly. In the midst of this disordered visual scene stands Magua, whose face is painted in a manner that recalls characters from horror or zombie films in the video. The selection of makeup, along with the low-quality graphics and altered colors, creates a ghostly appearance for Magua in the video. He can be seen energetically jumping around while playing a guitar attached to his neck, enhancing the frenetic energy felt throughout the video. The visuals are disturbing yet captivating, pulling the viewer into a realm that seems both known and strange.
The music in “Laser” perfectly complements the eerie and disorienting visuals in the video. The song is energetic and powerful, propelled by a throbbing guitar rhythm and Magua’s strained, near-screaming vocals. The music possesses a raw energy that reflects the chaos of the video, leading to a feeling of urgency and tension that constantly keeps the viewer on edge. The powerful sensory experience is created by the dynamic sound and disturbing visuals, making it both immersive and overwhelming. One of the standout features of “Laser” is the way it combines various genres and artistic styles to produce a completely original creation. The video uses elements from experimental film, horror, and digital art, blending them with Magua’s diverse musical style to create a piece that cannot be easily classified.
Magua’s work is characterized by blending different genres, as seen in “Laser,” where the distinctions between music and visual art are blurred and always changing. The outcome is a video that defies the viewer’s assumptions and tests the boundaries of what a music video is capable of. The eerie feeling of the video is especially successful in establishing an atmosphere of stress and discomfort. The mix of twisted visuals, creepy makeup, and powerful music creates a feeling of terror that is both captivating and unsettling. However, the video still manages to captivate viewers despite its unsettling features. Magua incorporates horror elements with lively music in a playful manner, forming an intriguing and thought-provoking contrast. This dual aspect is a major advantage of the video, as it maintains viewer interest and intrigue.
To sum up, Magua’s “Laser” is a daring and original piece that challenges the limits of music and visual art. The video uses distorted visuals and intense music to create an immersive and disorienting sensory experience, exploring the effects of digital technologies on modern life in a powerful way. Magua showcases a distinct mix of genres and artistic styles in “Laser,” appealing to those intrigued by the convergence of music, film, and digital art. This video provides a thought-provoking experience that stays with the viewer even after it ends.
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