exmagician

About the artist

Exmagician have spent the last few years underscoring their status as as one of Ireland's most visionary musical pairings. Comprising lifelong friends Daniel Todd and James Smith, the Belfast duo have been lauded for their carefully-crafted, sun-split psych-pop, initially garnered acclaim with their debut album, Scan The Blue. Released via Bella Union in March 2016, it marked the duo’s transition from their previous band, Cashier No. 9, which won them critical praise with their 2011 album, To the Death of Fun, produced by David Holmes. After Cashier No. 9 parted way, Todd and Smith set about exploring a rawer, more playful sound. Using a quote from a Pavement lyric as their new moniker, Exmagician emerged with the 2015 EP, Kiss That Wealth Goodbye. Their debut album, Scan The Blue, doubled down on their craft. A sonically adventurous statement, blending fuzzier, grittier sounds with a playful attitude and a wealth of new pedals and synths, it proved self-produced triumph, created with Rocky O'Reilly, showcasing their deep love for eclectic psychedelia via a meticulous attention to detail. Fast forward to 2024, after an eight-year hiatus, the band have just made their triumphant return with their highly-anticipated second studio album, Sit Tight. Released in June, the album features nine tracks that distill Todd and Smith’s luminous sound, highlighting their mastery as multi-instrumentalists with an extraordinary knack for crafting widescreen pop with a mellow touch.