Magnetic Skies’ Fragments lands like a neon flashback filtered through a modern malaise.
I listened to this album in a lot of places but the best I found was when you drive aimlessly. It just seems to match the mood perfectly. The band, fronted by Simon Kent and Jo Womar, have been building this sound since 2019, crafting a synth-driven post-punk aesthetic that pays clear homage to the ’80s while staying firmly grounded in the present. Their latest full-length release feels like a continuation of that vision, blending pulsing electronic beats and rich, analog synths with songwriting that moves brilliantly from tension and despair toward something more hopeful.
There’s an undeniable cinematic feel running through Fragments. There’s times where it feels massive. Tracks like “Not a Fire” and “Into Paradise” shimmer with layers of synth, steady basslines, and a pretty clean production that invites you to sink into the sound. To be a bit critical there are times where it can feel a bit overcooked in its mixing oven that it loses a bit of that crisp feel. The mixing gives it layers and texture but at times it can feel like it robs some tracks of the intimacy their themes deserve.
That said, don’t get it twisted, there’s real heart in this album. You can hear the vocals reaching for connection in the lyrics, even if at times the delivery veers a little too clean for the moody textures underneath. Some listeners might wish for more grit or rawness. It’s like watching someone try to stay optimistic while surrounded by shadows. And when the pieces align, like on the chorus of “All My Dreams” or the aching pulse of “Hollow,” the result is genuinely moving.
Fragments is an album made for fans of retro synth melancholy. The band knows what they want to put out and they do it well. This kind of music thrives on reflection, nostalgia, and light breaking through cracks. It’s beautifully made, slightly imperfect, and all the more human for it.
Fragments scores an impressive 7.5 out of 10
You can get Fragments here: https://magneticskies.bandcamp.com/album/fragments
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography