The Independent Australian singer-songwriter Magdalia released her latest single this weekend gone. Coming out on the 8th of December, ‘Fault Lines’ sees the Melbourne stalwart tackle the topic of a love gone sour - the victim of different life directions and the burden of the outside world.
What’s immediately striking about Magdalia is, of course, her voice. Possessing a natural and distinguishably deep tone, it hits the listener immediately. Those first seconds cradle the ear, signalling the presence of a soothing, although weathered, narrative.
This latest track holds high esteem in terms of pop production crispness, which is a credit to the artist and her team - as the sound surpasses her mere 87 monthly Spotify listeners with a quality beyond her current reach. While Magdalia’s pop product is sharp and fits into the industry formula, whether that be through the recognisable chord structure or the themes within, it’d be nice to see her adept vocal quality tackle something more musically challenging.
Not that this track limits her, but a deviation to her vocal strengths would easily raise her profile. For instance, pairing her already deep main vocal, with an intended backing harmony that doesn’t really stray in terms of tone… for me it doesn’t sound like a harmony (in the most constructive way). There are times when her main narrative is propped up rightly by a lighter inflection, but there needs to be more of that to outline her talent evermore.
Lyrically, the song is engaging - Magdalia opens with the idea of ‘living on the edge’ and presents a constantly losing battle with an overbearing ‘weight on our shoulders’ amidst running out of time. A failing love creates these fault lines, while a lack of time, outside influence, and faded dreams open these up continuously. It’s a really tragic love.
From the press:
“When the world has its say, even the strongest relationship can fall apart. ‘Fault ‘Lines’ features pulsing synths and a big voice to compliment lyrics that tell a Shakespeare-esque tale of tragic love. Following two lovers fighting for each other, the song details a relationship ultimately doomed by time.”
“Recently topping the Australian Atomic Music Charts with her single, ‘Great Expectations’, her most recent release ‘Noreen’ was voted one of the Real Songwriters of Melbourne Top 5 Songs of the Year. As well as qualifying for the Grand Final of the 2023 Listen Up Songwriting Prize, Melbourne local Magdalia has been described as “one of the most interesting and authentic voices on the Australian music scene” (Diaro De Shows).
Hailing from Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs and having performed in venues such as The Paris Cat Jazz Club, The Bergy Bandroom and The Burdekin Hotel, her affinity for storytelling and understanding makes her a force to be reckoned with in her field.
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