Review: “Magic” Rounds Out WIM’s Diverse Batch of Singles Ahead of Debut LP
WIM HAS ANOTHER TRICK UP HIS SLEEVE — and it’s both heartfelt and steamy. “Magic” is the enticing fourth single in the run-up to WIM’s debut album NOICE, set to drop on Oct. 2. WIM is the new solo artist project of Karn Kasidej Hongladaromp, a member of the R&B-pop duo HYBS, which has amassed nearly six million monthly Spotify listeners and become a standout in Asia’s indie music scene since 2021. “Magic” is another expansion of WIM’s bouncy sound, which should delight ears and move hips on his forthcoming debut record.
Occasionally, this song reminds me of “Out of Time” by The Weeknd, but what sets “Magic” apart is that it basks in the feelings of a beaming new crush. WIM’s sultry voice complements the slower feel of “Magic” and the proposition in the lyrics, “Wanna get down with me tonight?” It’s a hot tour through the wonder of those first moments of connection. A love song about the beginning — not the beginning of the end, WIM spins a split-second encounter into three and a half minutes of love fantasy.
“Magic” is powered by warm synths that I can only describe as bulbous and a LinnDrum-esque snare sound that smacks you back to Prince’s ’80s. The song grooves like Bruno Mars’s “Calling All My Lovelies,” but WIM’s is more pop than pop-funk. It’s yearning, but less yearning. This song is supposed to be cool, and the instruments have a sheen that keeps it so.
Maybe “Magic” should be a bit more personal than cool. The cover depicts a faceless man falling into an elixir, with a CD stuck on the rim of the glass like a lemon. It’s a trippy image that leaves many questions, but given WIM’s seductive vocals and romantic lyrics — and that he looks like a movie star — one of these questions is why he is not pictured on the cover?
The only questions about WIM’s music are ones of curiosity and hope. With varied yet mostly cohesive singles including the upbeat “Mr. Feelgood” and now “Magic,” how will the other songs on the album push the boundaries of this nostalgic, wavey niche that can so easily feel samey in today’s landscape? There is always room to find something new, something with the lean-in factor. WIM’s latest single “Magic” is enjoyable, but the combo of all four of his singles suggests an attempt to find specificity within a fad.
“Magic” is available for streaming now. NOICE, WIM’s debut LP, releases on Oct. 2.
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