M.A.G.S. is the recording project of Buffalo-bred, LA-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Elliott Douglas. Since 2015, Douglas has won acclaim for his inventive style and irrepressible energy, with releases like first EP Cellophane and self-titled debut full-length displaying a real plasticity in genre and tone. So while genres as diverse as indie pop, lo-fi folk and metal all influence the M.A.G.S. style, the aesthetic is tied together by Douglas’s idiosyncratic vision and confidence.
This summer sees the release of Say Things That Matter, a brand new M.A.G.S. full-length on ONErpm and Take This To Heart Records, and the sound is more ambitious than ever before.
Today we’re delighted to unveil ‘Wait’, the final single from the album and the song which kicked off the Say Things That Matter period in the M.A.G.S. project. “I made the first demo for ‘Wait’ in August 2019, it was the song that started the whole album process,” Douglas explains. “I remember sending it to my manager Felicity and saying, ‘this song is definitely going to be a single.'”
The song’s buoyant energy is therefore the product of several years of hard work, Douglas building the core of the demo into something heartfelt and cathartic. “This song definitely went through a few eras,” he explains. “I kind of have this thing where I will make a new song and then listen to it constantly, sometimes for years before it’s time to record it for real, and I end up fighting with myself trying to recreate the magic of the original. I had dealt with this issue a few times up till then so I tried my best to give the song a chance to evolve.”
Behind the carefree pop punk vibe is a genuinely sincere message about the importance of being open and sharing true feelings. “Try not to talk about the weather,” Douglas sings over driving guitar and galloping percussion, “it don’t mean anything to anyone.” The sentiment feels like the distillation of what M.A.G.S. is all about, an immediate jolt of pure feeling delivered without self-consciousness or insecurity. “This song is one of my personal favorites because it hits at the spirit of what I want to accomplish as an artist. Part of what brings us all together is acknowledging our flaws and relating to each other through them.”
I wanna get better
I wanna be a good friend
sometimes I wanna give up
but don’t let me
Photos by Avi Loud
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