Indie Light

Trey Magnifique is one of the performing alter egos of Brian Wecht an American musician, comedian and theoretical physicist. In this persona, his music boasts a smooth jazz quality. You may however be more familiar with Wecht’s other musical projects such as Ninja Sex Party or Starbomb, which we’ve covered extensively on the site, and you can click here and here respectively to check that out in more detail. I’m also a massive fan of his podcast with Leighton Gray, ‘Leighton Night with Brian Wecht’ which is easily one of my favourite podcasts, and as promised in my review of Homebody back in October 2023 it will be placed on my updated Podcast Top 10 in the near future. Today I’ll be reviewing Wecht’s debut album as Trey Magnifique, namely ‘Mature Situations’ which was released November 10th 2023. 

‘Satin Velvet’ kicks things off with funky synthy infused percussive melody, rich and sultry and a nice opening to what I’m sure is going to be a superb album. The saxophone adds depth and richness to the performance, it’s not overpowering, but nonetheless absolutely takes centre stage and the melody builds out. I’ve always been a fan of elements like that, they add so much power and energy to the track.

‘DTF (Down To Funk)’ is more energetic, a bass infused rhythmic number, with light percussion and horns blended throughout, it’s the epitome of funky and it has the right bouncy and energy and it has a nice balance to it, it’s got life to it and the melody is certainly vibrant but it’s not frenetic and out of control, instead it’s just smooth as silk, and good to chill to. I love that Jazz can do that, sometimes it’s wild and uncontrolled and other times it’s just ambient and melodic. 

‘Staten Island Time’ opens with a solid percussive drive, solid bass underneath it, building to create an energetic melody that kind of reminds me of the soundtrack for the casino zone in Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s quirky and has a lot going on, a blend of potent sounds that just absolutely jam together. The guitar and the light scatting vocals especially just absolutely make this track something else. Equally the piano towards the end is sumptuous to the ear.  Overall this is such a solid performance that it easily snags the top slot for personal highlight of the entire album, and that’s saying something because Trey is a seasoned instrumentalist, with a strong grasp of composition and melody, and each track on this album is stellar as far as I’m concerned. 

‘Daddy Lawbreaker’ kicks things off with electronic tones that flow into a bouncier, bass and percussive beat, and of course the saxophone is just sensational. While doing research I found out that he has a long history with playing the saxophone and you feel the years bleed out as he performs these rich and punchy instrumental beats. Speaking of which, compared to the last couple tracks this is relatively horn heavy which for me is ideal, as Trey is an incredible performer, and he just casts a spell with the sax that just hooks you in.

‘Chakra Rakra’ is a little more energetic, the electronic melody is lighter, and the addition of the flute as well as the saxophone on this track adds more texture and vibrancy to the melody. According to Bandcamp, the flute is played by Anh Phung and I need to personally mention how much their contribution boosts this track, just the freshness and brightness it injects into the melody helps to bring the whole thing together. 

‘Night of 1000 Solos’ has a very bass driven, electronic vibe, with more sensational sax, that just elevates what is already an amazing track. Without hyperbole, although I am prone to it, I’ll say that the other day I had a supremely bad headache, and I had on this album for background atmosphere while I tried to shake it off, and perhaps it was the handful of ibuprofen, or the water and lack of other stimuli, but I swear this track cured my headache. Something about the balance of percussion, bass and horns, with the occasional guitar interlude create a very time and ambient melody, and yet with enough energy and substance to keep your attention. 

‘Santa Monica Boulevard’ has a really solid rhythmic beat, the electronic melody, with light percussion creating a really solid beat throughout. As we make our way through the album, I’d be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention that alongside other contributors, long-time collaborators, TWRP feature heavily throughout this album, in the guitars, drums and bass, they bring their incredible talent and energy to this debut album from the artist. While their own music is unique and has its own specific style and vibe, the crossover of the electronic and funk rock elements shows here and overall the collaboration makes this album even stronger. 

‘Mister Doctor’ has a nice light percussive build, it’s bouncy and catches the ear really well, the horns blend really well throughout adding deeper notes to the overall melody without being overused. It flows really well, and lingers in your head after it’s finished. 

‘41st and 8th’ is a little more energetic, again a nice infusion of horns that really add impact to the whole performance, but what really gives this track an edge is that pace and more frenetic beat. It’s really solid, and keeps things fresh as we close in on the final few tracks. I already knew Trey was a talented performer because I’ve been a fan across several projects and releases, but he truly excels here, and even without vocals the tracks feel full and engaging. 

‘You Got Jazz’ goes for a heavier, bass infused opening, gives us one of the few vocal performances of the album, I believe this is Claude Chanson who has a nice voice, it suits the funky vibe, and he really gives it his all, the scatting especially really sold it for me. I’m also glad if there were going to be vocals on the album that they were saved for last, after what has been a strong and largely instrumental album. Returning to the vocals for a moment, Chanson has a solid staccato delivery, fast paced and vibrant that again really worked for me. 

‘I Could Get Used To This’ finishes things off on a high note, smooth and sultry electronic beats close things out on a similar note and vibe to the opening number, bookending and balancing out the track incredibly well. Plus in an album that I’ve already admitted is filled with strong saxophone performances, has some of the best. The whole track though, and indeed the whole album is a powerful mix of elements, the result is a funky and smooth album, that’s perfect mood music, just lifting and brightening the atmosphere. 

So that’s what I thought of Trey Magnifique’s album ‘Mature Situations’ and if you want to check that out for yourself then head on over to Spotify. While you’re at it, make sure and support the artist by following them on Twitter and Instagram.