McKinley Dixon - "Magic, Alive!"

Photo by Dennis Larance

We've been going pretty nuts about the singles for McKinley Dixon's upcoming album due out tomorrow (June 6). We didn't think we could get more excited for it, and then Dixon went out and released the title track, and we're completely blown away. "Magic, Alive!" is one of the most exciting tracks of the year. It's a pure hip hop track, but it doesn't sound like any hip hop song I've heard before. It's a high energy song based in jazz, but with an attitude more like indie rock and punk. "Magic, Alive!" shows Dixon moving the genre forward, whether or not the mainstream wants it to. This is a giant hip hop track, and I can almost guarantee that even those that refuse to enjoy hip hop are going to like this one. Buckle up, because you're about to hear a strong song of the year contender from an album of the year favorite.

McKinley Dixon says of his latest single and video:

"‘Magic, Alive!’ is me telling the audience what the record means. To run, to dance, to survive. It’s the ending of the record while in some ways serving as the beginning for the character. Just because that tale is over, the sun is still there. At the end of the day, at the end of your story, do you feel the love? Do you feel the magic?
 

"The video portrays me as sort of a mad scientist creating the entity that is ‘Magic, Alive!’ Making it a sentient thing that is formed through the intersection of magic, science and music with no other connection, to me, adds a fun layer of lore that doesn’t require much explanation! The video, and song itself, is a reminder to have fun, even if the world is closing in.”

You can watch the video for "Magic, Alive!" below. Magic, Alive! is due out June 6 on City Slang, and is available for pre-order here. For more on McKinley Dixon, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video and include a September 9 date at Warehouse XI in Somerville, MA.

Fri. Aug. 1 - Los Angeles, CA @ Permanent Records Roadhouse
Sat. Aug. 2 - San Francisco, CA @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall
Fri. Aug. 8 - Portland, OR @ The Jack London Revue
Sat. Aug. 9 - Seattle, WA @ Barboza
Wed. Sept. 3 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Thu. Sept. 4 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
Sat. Sept. 6 - Toronto, ON @ Sound Garage
Mon. Sept. 8 - Montreal, QC @ La Sotterenea
Tue. Sept. 9 - Boston, MA, @ Warehouse XI
Thu. Sept. 11 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere: Zone One
Fri. Sept. 12 - Philadelphia, PA @ Cambridge Hall: Warehouse on Watts (WOW)
Sat. Sept. 13 - Richmond, VA @ TBD
Tue. Sept. 16 - Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse
Fri. Sept. 19 - Milwaukee, WI @ Falcon Bowl
Thu. Oct. 16 - Dublin, IE @ The Workman’s Cellar
Fri. Oct. 17 - Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint
Sat. Oct. 18 - Manchester, UK @ YES
Sun. Oct. 19 - Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Tue. Oct. 21 - London, UK @ The Lexington
Wed. Oct. 22 - Paris, FR @ Le Pop-up du Label
Thu. Oct. 23 - Antwerp, BE @ Trix Cafe
Fri. Oct. 24 - Cologne, DE @ Veedel Club
Mon. Oct. 27 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
Tue. Oct. 28 - Hamburg, DE @ Knust
Thu. Oct. 30 - Stockholm, SE @ Bar Brooklyn
Fri. Oct. 31 - Copenhagen, DK @ Vega (Ideal Bar)
Sat. Nov. 1 - Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain