Salute Releases Debut Full-Length Album, 'TRUE MAGIC'

salute drives anticipation for their forthcoming North American tour with their automotive-inspired album, TRUE MAGIC.

salute, the Austria-born, Manchester-based DJ and producer known for their radiant and high-energy sound, has released their highly anticipated album, TRUE MAGIC, under the renowned label Ninja Tune. With nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify and an impressive resume of 2024 performances — like at Coachella and DGTL — salute continues to captivate listeners worldwide with their unique blend of UK garage and house music that feels like a nostalgic slice of teenage summer.

TRUE MAGIC signals a change from salute’s previous work as they embraced a more collaborative approach. “I went in quite blindly just with some loops and ideas but there’s much more of a focus on songwriting and collaboration on this album,” said salute. Such joint effort resulted in a rich tapestry of sounds derived from an impressive roster of producers, including Karma Kid, Disclosure, and Sam Gellaitry, among others.

In an era where dance music is typically released through a series of singles or EPs of four to five tracks, this album’s release is particularly significant as it thrusts salute to a higher degree of musical artistry. It comes in on the heels of their 2023 Japan tour, and their time spent amid Japanese culture undoubtedly influenced the project’s themes. Inspired aesthetically and sonically by old Japanese car advertisements, salute spent countless hours trawling through YouTube archives to craft the album’s concept: driving in a race called TRUE MAGIC.

The album kicks off with “start” and includes standout tracks like “saving flowers” featuring UK pop star Rina Sawayama. Described as an auditory manifestation of an endless summer function, the track infuses salute’s signature style with automobile-inspired samples that evoke the nostalgia of a Mario Kart race. The rest of the album carries listeners through a vivid auditory journey, beckoning a sense of free-spirited driving. TRUE MAGIC serves as a metaphorical race, defining this chapter of salute’s life.

Listen to TRUE MAGIC on your preferred streaming platform and visit Salute’s Linktree to stay updated on their upcoming tour.