After what seemed like an eternity, Mac Ayres finally released his new album: Magic 8ball.
Speaking pre-release, he stated that “This project has no genre. No overly deep story about the meaning of this project. Just the absolute best tunes I could write in 2020.” After a play-through, this is evidently true. The record seamlessly blends genres - incorporating themes from his past music, and current self - and puts forth an album with the signature “Magic Mac” soul we’ve all come to know.
Mac teased the project beforehand - performing a stripped down version of his track “Sometimes” on NPR’s Tiny Desk before his album announcement on December 16th. The song is a heartfelt monologue about longing (following the aftermath of a breakup), with Mac repeatedly hoping for his partner to call. Throughout the rest of the album, we see him dipping into various genres including R&B, Funk, Soul, and Jazz: attesting to the fact that no genre is safe when Mac Ayres picks up his mic.
Although new music is a rarity for the New York born singer, he still has amassed a loyal fanbase, charting his album as number six on Spotify’s weekly debuts. Seeing Magic 8ball round out Ayres’ first four records shows growth and maturity for the still young singer; certainly, fans can expect the fifth to show yet another side - with vocals and demeanor aged like fine wine.
One thing is for sure: no matter his mentality, you can always expect Mac Ayres to drop soulfully driven albums, specifically to be put on repeat. Dive in below.