Magic Dance: Vanishings (2019 Reissue)

Synthwave-turned-melodic rock band Magic Dance made their full length debut in 2016 with the self-released album Vanishings. They had a handful of singles and EP releases by then, all of which were extremely ‘80s synth pop-influenced. On Vanishings though, singer/musician/songwriter Jon Siejka added plenty of melodic guitar hooks and just enough of a rock edge to balance out the soundtrack keyboard vibe. The result is one of the catchiest, most enjoyable releases of the past few years.

The overall sound on Vanishings is like the perfect blend of Cutting Crew, The Cars/Benjamin Orr solo, Boulevard and a bit of Journey and Survivor. Basically, it’s the perfect ‘80s movie soundtrack album. The melodies are beyond catchy, the keyboards are so evocative of that era and the smooth, dramatic vocals just sell every single song. The production is gloriously old school as well.

Spend enough time with Vanishings (and you will; I’ve been playing it regularly every week for a year) where just about every song lodges itself directly into your heart. Leadoff rocker “Another Lost Boy” is arguably the best song, but “The Mirror” (with its Aldo Nova-esque digital effects), the very Carrs-sounding “I Need a Name,” “Fighting the Fire” and “Still Haunting Me” come close. There are literally zero weak songs here. Album closer “So Far Away From Home” is the only song that doesn’t have an upbeat energy, but it still rules because it feels like it should be playing when Molly Ringwald and her crush lock eyes in a John Hughes movie.

If you loved the band’s breakout 2018 album New Eyes (and you should; it rules) and are looking for more Magic Dance, Vanishings is the perfect next step. It’s the perfect mix of synth pop and melodic rock, and is a must-have album for fans of Boulevard, Cutting Crew, The Outfield, The Cars, Lebrock, Timecop 1983 and Glass Apple Banzai.

Reissue Notes: Vanishings finally got a proper CD release (as in, not a CDR) this month, and that alone would be reason to celebrate. The reissue, released by the band (and available here), doesn’t stop there though. It adds another eight bonus tracks: remastered versions of early songs “Last Light” and “Another Life, Another Time” and various remixes and alternate versions. The remixes are particularly fun additions.