Critic's Choice: REALMAGIC, August 18 at the hi-dive

Before some of us knew that Drew Englander made music, we knew him for his beautifully mysterious visual art. His imagery seemed to play around with fantastic homegrown mythologies of the type that children use to people their daydreams. That sort of creative outlook informs Englander's music, which he makes...

By Tom Murphy

August 16, 2011

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Before some of us knew that Drew Englander made music, we knew him for his beautifully mysterious visual art. His imagery seemed to play around with fantastic homegrown mythologies of the type that children use to people their daydreams. That sort of creative outlook informs Englander's music, which he makes under the moniker REALMAGIC (due at the hi-dive on Thursday, August 18). There's a lot of "experimental electronic" music out there now, but Englander's tight, often urgent polyrhythmic compositions offer an M83-esque retro take on atmospherics, using layers of melody on top of glitchy textures reminiscent of Dizzee Rascal. There's an effervescent vibrancy to the music that instantly transports you to a time in your life when you felt relaxed, well-rested and motivated to take on the world.

Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

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