Piano Magic is a musical collective formed in the summer of 1996 by Glen Johnson, Dominic Chennell, and Dick Rance in London, England. Their sound has been described as ambient pop, post-rock, indietronica.
While the most recent releases have seen them operating with a traditional band format, they originally started their career with the intention to base their recordings around their small nucleus and whoever else would like to contribute. Glen Johnson is the only remaining band member from the original trio. Piano Magic was formed in the summer of 1996 by Glen Johnson, Dominic Chennell, and Dick Rance in London, England, as a 'bedroom-studio' project with the intention to base their recordings around their small nucleus and whomever else would like to contribute. Originally reluctant to perform live, they gave way to label pressure when their first single proved popular on BBC Radio 1 John Peel show & was awarded Single of the Week in Melody Maker. While recruiting Paul Tornbohm to play drums at these gigs, they pointedly refused to play or sound like any of their released material. Popular Mechanics appeared on i/Ché in 1997, a debut album which the press variously described as "ethereal electro pop atmospheric soundscapes" or "simply delighting in... making silly noises" & which the band thought of as "Small Beat, pre-chip... radiophonics". It included vocals by Hazel Burfitt and Raechel Leigh but, with Rance having quit the band, combined two previous single releases with a set of new recordings by Johnson and Chennell. The duo then briefly recruited American music students, Alexander Perls, Jen Adam and Ezra Feinberg to complete the band, though Chennell too had departed by the time of the second album release Low Birth Weight in 1998, a record described as "dreamy, trance and organic psychedelia". It introduced the vocals of Caroline Potter who would sing on one further album.
Related Projects
* Cedric Pin and Glen Johnson have recorded as 'Future Conditional'.
* Glen Johnson has recorded as 'Textile Ranch'.
* Glen Johnson has published a collection of short stories and poems titled 'Angel Kagoule'.
* Dominic Chennell has recorded as 'Dominic de Nebo' and with the group 'Carphology Collective'.
Discography
Official full-length releases
* Popular Mechanics, (i/Che, 1997)
* A Trick of the Sea, (Darla, 1998)
* Low Birth Weight, (Rocket Girl, 1999)
* Artists' Rifles, (Rocket Girl, 2000)
* Son de Mar, (4AD, 2001)
* Writers Without Homes, (4AD, 2002)
* The Troubled Sleep of Piano Magic, (Green UFOs, 2003)
* Disaffected (Darla, 2005)
* Part Monster (Important, 2007)
Official single releases
* Wrong French, (i/Che, 1996)
* Wintersport, (i/Che, 1997)
* For Engineers, (Wurlitzer, 1997)
* Music for Rolex, (Lissy's, 1998)
* There's No Need for Us to Be Alone, (Rocket Girl, 1998)
* Fun of the Century, (Piao!, 1998)
* Mort Aux Vaches, (Staalplat, 1998)
* Music for Annahbird, (Piao!, 1998)
* Amongst the Books, an Angel, (Acetone, 1999)
* Panic Amigo, (Morr Music, 2000)
* I Came to Your Party Dressed as a Shadow, (Acuarela, 2001)
* Speed the Road, Rush the Lights, (Green UFOs, 2003)
* Saint Marie EP, (Green UFOs, 2003)
* The Opencast Heart EP, (Important Records, 2005)
* Never It Will Be the Same Again [Limited Edition of 100 copies], (EN/OF, 2006)
* Incurable EP, (Important Records, 2006)
* Dark Horses EP, (Make Mine Music, 2008)
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