This unhinged and exhausting 2025 is already high on its own strain of tension, so it makes sense that joan strap in to deliver possibly the most dramatic — and possibly therapeutic — three minutes of music so far this year. The Arkansas duo of Alan Benjamin Thomas and Steven Rutherford unleashed an alt-pop supernova of a single called “magic” this past Friday (January 31) via Photo Finish Records, and it’s a slow-burn build-up of post-punk and R&B coming together before a cathartic release of cascading energy.
As the chromatic track swirls around its themes of love, heartbreak, and life’s unpredictability, the idea of reflecting the beautifully fleeting nature of life’s moments comes sharply into view. “‘magic’ is the feeling of something too good to be true, the feeling of living in a dream and wondering when you’ll wake up, the feeling that the future must be tragic because the present just feels too good,” joan say. “‘magic’ is a romanticization of this beautifully boring life, a reminder that nothing in life — good or bad — lasts.”
Not sure that’s exactly what we need to hear right now, or the absolute last thing we need to hear. Decide for yourself with the “magic” music video below.
