LAST MINUTE PLANS: Magical Beautiful Gets Magical

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 25, 2012 4:40PM

Magical Beautiful is the brainchild of Tyson Torstensen (bassist/keyboardist from Ga'an), but this synthpop quartet is also reared by other seasoned local musicians, including Nick Broste of Mucca Pazza and Herculaneum, Alance Ward of All Smiles, and all-around musical wizard Charlie Vinz. Combined, these guys have a serious flair for songcraft.

Their most recent album, 2011’s Here Come the Wild Waves, took four years of experimenting and tweaking to complete but was well worth the wait. It has the distinct feeling of a Chicago summer—the blend of psychedelic pop, dub, and ambient is something like the hazy daze of a heat wave. The tracks seem to melt together, and it’s clearly intended for straight-through listening.

Closing track “Wild Waves” is a model example. This nearly-9-minute song is led by a persistent drum beat and subtle hooks. Spacey synth swells into ambient soundscapes, and the faraway baritone vocals of Torstensen give dimension, while the organic sounds of horn and banjo find their place in the track's digital world.

You can stream Wild Waves, as well as some of the band’s other recordings, over at Bandcamp. And keep your ear open for new Magical Beautiful material; as of April, the band was working on a follow-up album. Tonight’s show, as is standard at The Whistler, is free. We’re also stoked about opener Deep Sleep, the solo project of Icy Demons’ Jeremiah Chiu.

Magical Beautiful Plays tonight at The Whistler, 2421 N Milwaukee, 10 p.m., free, 21+