There’s something truly nostalgic about raw, whiplash-inducing music that makes you want to jump around and scream your head off all at once. The single, “Elephant,” from M.A.G.S. rejuvenates gritty authenticity and breathes new life into the alternative genre. It’s a purely unfiltered release of emotion, spewing right out of the vocalist's mouth and through your speakers. Noisy and calculated to a T, M.A.G.S.’ music within the indie-rock scene unveils the adolescent in all of us.

Released on February 3, “Elephant” takes all the classic elements of early 2000s bands and seamlessly blends them together with modern-day, song-of-the-summer production to create a sound that keeps you coming back. The loveable angst of the single elicits memories of feverish, dream-like B-roll montages from your favorite Y2K teen dramedy.

*Photo Courtesy of Leandro Lara //* *@lefilmmm*

In the new single, M.A.G.S., the moniker and almost-persona for Buffalo-bred musician Elliot Douglas unleashes passionate vocals over punchy drum beats and a take-no-prisoners, choppy guitar sequence. The lyrics take the listener on a tour of the musician’s mind as the song shifts between stages of chaotic rhythms to more tranquil, almost yearning sections. The cathartic nature of the song is evident and palpable. With scream-sung words and elements that sound winding and hypnotic at times, M.A.G.S. begs the question to his listeners: Are you even listening?

The musician is no stranger to switching things up—as he has displayed since his breakthrough into the industry—and has remained unafraid to mix and match genres and production styles. M.A.G.S. uses this track to experiment and play with the hub of modern rock, all while maintaining his unique musical personality. Listen close enough, and you might catch the somewhat muted ad-libs fighting to break through.

The song will be M.A.G.S.' first official release since his 2021 album Say Things That Matter, a genre-subverting and ethereal-sounding project. Keeping with the same playfulness and atmospheric nature of the musician’s prior releases, “Elephant” demonstrates a new level of maturity M.A.G.S. has reached in his musical journey. The production of the track, courtesy of Jay Maas, displays a refreshing intelligence and thoughtfulness often lacking in today’s indie-rock scene. To fully appreciate the mastery of the track in its entirety, passively tuning into the song just won’t do: becoming an active listener is integral to taking part in the story that M.A.G.S. is begging for to be heard. With such attention to detail, “Elephant” recreates the effortless but not careless allure of decades past.

M.A.G.S. Contemplates and Matures With New Single “Elephant”