Magnetic North

Released in 2010, Magnetic North marks a significant point in Matt Hales' career, following his relocation to Los Angeles. This change in environment is palpable in the music, which trades some of the stark gray-scale sadness of his debut for a more golden-hued, 'California' aesthetic, though his core melancholic sensibility remains intact. Hales described the album as a collection of '12 kids' from the same family, highlighting the stylistic variety - ranging from the upbeat, rhythmic 'Fingertip' to the ambient-leaning 'California' interlude. The recording process in LA brought a more sophisticated, layered production style to his work, incorporating more diverse instrumentation while keeping his fragile falsetto and piano at the center. Critically, it was seen as a mature, confident step forward that solidified his reputation for creating cinematic, emotionally resonant indie pop. It stands as a more optimistic, or at least more peaceful, counterpart to his earlier, more distressed recordings.