Magic Pony Ride


Magic Pony Ride is a studio album by English record producer Mike Paradinas under the pseudonym μ-Ziq. It was released on 10 June 2022 through his record label Planet Mu. It received generally favorable reviews from critics.

Background

Magic Pony Ride is Mike Paradinas' first studio album as μ-Ziq since Scurlage. According to The Guardian, the album drew inspiration from "the process of remastering his classic LP Lunatic Harness, as well as familial introspection and an idyllic holiday horse-riding in Iceland." His daughter Elka provides vocals on "Picksing" and "Elka's Song". "Galope" is dedicated to his late father. Paradinas created the album entirely on a computer.
Prior to the album's release, He released the Goodbye EP and the Goodbye Remixes EP. After the album's release, he released the Hello EP and the Galope EP.

Critical reception

Paul Simpson of AllMusic commented that "The beats on Magic Pony Ride are more inspired by jungle and breakbeat hardcore than anything Paradinas has recorded since the 2000s, but they aren't nearly as unhinged or manic as those on Lunatic Harness, and the melodies don't quite tap into the singular mixture of fear and excitement that made the previous album so riveting." Ben Devlin of MusicOMH stated, "Magic Pony Ride might not be the most ambitious record in the world, or in Paradinas' discography, but the music accomplishes its stated goals and is enjoyable in the process."
Tayyab Amin of The Guardian commented that "Magic Pony Ride excels when it is carefree and cantering, losing its allure when it stops to let reality sink in." Jude Noel of Pitchfork stated, "While Magic Pony Ride retains the gummy textures of his recent oeuvre, it is unusual in its overt nostalgia."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.