Posts Tagged ‘Tiny Magnetic Pets’

Tiny Magnetic Pets – Astralux EP

Posted: 25 August 2026 in Reviews, Singles and EPs
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21st August 2026

Christopher Nosnibor

For their latest EP release, prolific Irish electronic / synthwave outfit Tiny Magnetic Pets give us a remix of ‘Lost My Guiding Light’, which first appeared on their second album, way back in 2017. It’s a reasonable amount of time to leave before revisiting a song, and as Sean Quinn (synths, guitar & vocals) explains, “When we play live we like to do different versions from the records. Last year, we were asked to play a dance music festival in Dublin, so we re-arranged the opening track from our second album Deluxe/Debris for an EDM audience, and it has now become the opening tune to our live shows,” going on to add “We re-recorded this new version in 2026 and we feel it is significantly different from the original to warrant its own release and slight re-title: ‘Lost My Guiding Light (Again)’ – a wee nod to Bowie’s John I’m Only Dancing (Again).”

It’s hard to argue that it’s substantially different from the original, not to mention the fact it’s two and a half minutes longer. The rippling, drifting ambient intro is extended out on this new version, and the beats – beefier, more driving – paired with a more prominent cyclical synth motif that owes much to late 90s dance – change the overall feel more than anything, and while the extended mid-section twinkles and shimmers, it doesn’t haver the same ethereal shimmer as the original. This is the trade, and a matter of preference, really: understated textural detail, or a more expansive, sturdier-sounding rendition.

It’s backed with not one, but two remixes of ‘Low Places’ courtesy of Dakeyne. The original was released just last year, as the lead track on the Harmonious Grey EP. A collision of dark disco and electropop, it boasts a thick, rumbling bass sand bops along nicely. Not so much the first of the Dakenye remixes, which sees a hard, industrial-strength beat dominate an extremely busy arrangement crammed with niggling repetitions. It’s clearly more club-orientated, but do such clubs even exist nowadays? Still, I’d take this over the Dakenye Acid Dub mix, which – being a dub – strips out most of the vocals and everything else in favour of the monotonous kick drum, wibbling bass, and occasional incidentals. Maybe Acid Dubs require actual acid rather than a couple of cans of West Coast IPA. Ultimately, this feels like something of a stop-gap release.

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Watch: ‘Lost My Guiding Light (Again)’ by Tiny Magnetic Pets

Posted: 27 July 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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Irish synthwave outfit Tiny Magnetic Pets return with ‘Lost My Guiding Light (Again)’, a stellar single that reflects the search for hope and direction in an increasingly uncertain world, inviting listeners to consider what their own guiding light might be.

A compelling preview of their coming three-track ‘Astralux’ EP, slated for release on July 21, this is a bold reinvention of one of their most-loved tracks and Blending cinematic synth textures, soaring melodies and an irresistible electronic pulse, they transform the original into a vibrant new anthem.

Based between Dublin and Belfast, Tiny Magnetic Pets has become one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary electronic music since emerging in 2015. Here,  vocalist Paula Gilmer, keyboardist-guitarist Sean Quinn and drummer Eugene Somers are joined by Seamus Quinn on bass.

Mixed and mastered by Tim Dorney, whose music career includes time as keyboardist of Republica, in addition to Flowered Up and Tin Gun, this release combines classic synth-pop songwriting with contemporary electronic production, bringing together melodic depth and club-ready energy.

“When we play live we like to do different versions from the records. Last year, we were asked to play a dance music festival in Dublin, so we re-arranged the opening track from our second album ‘Deluxe/Debris’ for an EDM audience, and it has now become the opening tune to our live shows,” explains Sean Quinn.

“We re-recorded this new version in 2026 and we feel it is significantly different from the original to warrant its own release and slight re-title: Lost My Guiding Light (Again) – a wee nod to Bowie’s John I’m Only Dancing (Again)…”

Paula Gilmer adds, “A re-imagining of two of our most popular live tracks for the 21st century dancefloor, this song is about how everyone at some point loses their way – in life, in work, in relationships, in faith but the theme carries more weight in 2026 with the whole world seemingly losing its way! What is your “guiding light” in 2026? Morality? Truth? Honesty? Love? Empathy? Compassion? Fill in the blank, post it on TikTok and hope it goes viral.”

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The Astralux EP also features two remixes of ‘Low Places’ by pioneering producer and DJ Paul Dakeyne, whose innovative work has helped shape electronic dance music for over three decades. A Ministry of Sound resident DJ, he has played sets for U2 and Kraftwerk. Endorsed by Paul Oakenfold and Fatboy Slim, he has created 250+ remixes, including for George Michael, The Cure, Tori Amos, New Order, Enya, Soft Cell, Erasure, Nancy Sinatra, Yello, and The Housemartins.

Combining the melodic songwriting and electronic textures that have defined Tiny Magnetic Pets’ sound, infused with adventurous new energy, ‘Lost My Guiding Light (Again)’ is a confident statement of where they are heading next, towards what promises to be the band’s most ambitious chapter yet.

A glimpse of the next phase in Tiny Magnetic Pets’ musical evolution, its rhythms and emotional core point towards the darker, more cinematic sound of their coming fourth studio album, A Black Frame. Out later this year, it is produced by Gareth Jones, whose work with Depeche Mode, Wire, Interpol and Nick Cave has made him one of alternative music’s most respected producers.

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Tiny Magnetic Pets