Magic, Alive!

by McKinley Dixon

Type: Album
Released: June 6, 2025
Label: City Slang
Country: United States
Length: 34:58
Community rating: 4/5 from 36 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

On 'Magic, Alive!', McKinley Dixon crafts a dense and whimsical jazz-rap concept album built upon lush, live instrumentation that blends soulful horns, sparkling flutes, and dynamic percussion. The album functions as a narrative piece, telling the story of three children grappling with the loss of a friend and exploring themes of memory, community, and resurrection through storytelling. Dixon's delivery shifts from conversational to ferocious, interacting with the intricate arrangements and guest features to create a work that is both musically ambitious and emotionally resonant.

Genres

Descriptors: rap, orchestral, conscious, soulful, theatrical

Tracklist

Watch My Hands (01:45)
Sugar Water (feat. Quelle Chris and Anjimile) (02:01)
Crooked Stick (feat. Ghais Guevera and Alfred.) (02:30)
Recitatif (feat. Teller Bank$) (04:02)
Run, Run, Run Pt. II (03:07)
We're Outside, Rejoice! (04:12)
All the Loved Ones (What Would We Do???) (feat. ICECOLDBISHOP and Pink Siifu) (04:45)
F.F.O.L. (feat. Teller Bank$) (02:50)
Listen Gentle (04:15)
Magic, Alive! (02:41)
Could've Been Different (feat. Blu & Shamir) (02:50)

Credits

McKinley Dixon - lead vocals
Eli Owens - harp
DeSean Gault - drums
Anthony Cavanaugh - bass guitar
Sam Koff - trumpet, keyboards, in-studio production
Stephen Roach - piano, keyboards
Joseph Clarke - background vocals
Teeny - saxophone
Sarah Tudzin - guitar
Anjimile - vocals
Quelle Chris - vocals
Etienne Stoufflet - saxophone
Alfred - vocals
Trey Pollard - arranged by [strings arranged by]
Ladon Alex - artwork
Peter Greydanus - cello
Treesa Gold - contractor [strings contracted by]
Daniel Murphy (3) - design [packaging design]
Alex Dejong - engineer, recorded by [strings]
Kyle Williams (2) - engineer, producer [additional production], composed by [additional comping], editor
Dave Kutch - mastered by
Jason Agel - mixed by
Dorothy Couper - viola
Jocelyn Smith - viola
Kim Ryan - viola