The new album Magnetism by Kali Malone and Drew McDowall feels like a force that soothes and unsettles at the same time. That tension arises because the music unfolds like a dialogue with one’s inner self. It leads you to the place where you encounter yourself – including your darker corners. Rather than pushing them away, Magnetism invites you to acknowledge them, accept them, and come to rest.
Malone and McDowall worked with physical-modelling synthesis in creating the album – recreating real-world vibrational processes – but without a fixed concept. They relied on instinct, using just intonation to explore the subtle spaces between tones. They frequently employed Karplus–Strong synthesis, which can mimic the sound of vibrating strings or metallic resonances. In »The Secret of Magnetism«, this technique becomes especially clear: bell-like tones and their echoes weave into a shimmering sonic fabric. In »The Sound in My Mind«, gently overlapping, almost floating drones create an atmosphere of deep calm.
Many of the melodies, Malone says, had lived inside her for a long time – and the album finally gave her the space to voice them. That is what makes Magnetism feel so honest and immediate. Across four extended pieces, the smallest shifts and resonances transform into a ritualistic sonic meditation. A work one feels more than hears – a quiet conversation with oneself.
