Shadows Pool Party

There’s a strong possibility you’ll be a shadow of your former self by the time Miami Music Week comes to a close. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A full week of dance floor socializing, late nights stretching into early mornings, and club-hopping will take its toll on even the most seasoned party people.

So it’s only appropriate then that Gray Area is teaming up with Magdalena to send off this year’s festivities with a Miami Beach edition of SHADOWS, the Yugoslavian DJ-producer’s nocturnal party concept. It’s taking place poolside at The National Hotel on Sunday, March 27, and as is customary for any worthwhile MMW bash, will boast an array of talented selectors holding down the decks.

Descend label boss ALX will join Magdalena, alongside Matt Caines of Art With Me, 2020 Essential Mix of the Year winners Mathame, Afterlife artist and multi-hyphenate Öona Dahl, and Odd One Out frontman Yotto on the ones and twos.

In addition, Rodriguez Jr. will mix things up with the lone live performance of the event. And if you’re worried about whether your body will be able to handle another beat-fueled marathon into an obscene hour that week, you can rest easy: the party starts at noon and will wrap up by 11 pm.

Beyond the thoughtfulness of not asking partygoers to push themselves into an additional workday, these particular hours are integral to the ethos behind SHADOWS. Magdalena channeled her inspiration for the concept from her experiences as an event organizer, club manager, and talent booker. Her eye for curation and ear for electrifying sounds were honed behind the scenes long before she ever rocked a party in public view: working alongside Solomun and Adriano Trolio, she got in on the ground floor of operating the EGO club in Hamburg. 

Although the venue shuttered in 2014, Magdalena’s time at the helm expanded her horizons as a champion of club culture and an artist in her own right. Given her close relationship with the Diynamic Music family, it was only fitting that her first track, “Should I Stay,” was shared on the record label’s 10th-anniversary compilation. Her passion for melodic house and techno has only spread from there, with proper EP releases on Diynamic and Anja Schneider’s Leena Music imprint. She’s also received nods from Anjunadeep and one of the principal titans of the dance music world, John Digweed; Magdalena’s most recent EP, Outlines, was released on the legendary artist’s Bedrock Records in 2020. 

SHADOWS extends Magdalena’s zeal for progressive, poignant electronic music. The party was born out of her time spent DJing in Ibiza and performing outside the traditional framework provided by after-hours clubs. Its name comes from its timeframe: beginning in the afternoon and stretching past dusk, dancers will begin to see their shadows creep up on them as nighttime encroaches. Sonically, SHADOWS moves through the realm of melodic dance music and offers an alternative to more hard-hitting affairs.

Magdalena has said before that the magic of SHADOWS is made possible through the interplay between herself and the various guest DJs who join her; however, like all great parties, what makes it special is the sum total of the various dynamics at work. Whether it’s the sight of a setting sun and the silhouettes that follow in its wake, the unmistakable exchange of energy that happens when a DJ and crowd all are in tune, or the cohesive atmosphere curated by the various acts, SHADOWS leaves no consideration unaccounted for. Luckily for MMW attendees, all of this will take place amid the scenic backdrop offered by one of Miami Beach’s most picturesque hotels.

It’s fitting that the first MMW in three years features a closing party wrapping things up on a suitably emotional, cathartic note. So arrive early for the good vibes, stay until the very end for the transcendent release that’s only possible on the dance floor.

Words by: Zach Schlein