Catherine Moan – No Magic

Catherine Moan is a Los Angeles based synthpop artist releasing on Born Losers Records out of Philadelphia. Five years have passed since her debut “Chain Reaction” and “No Magic” is the next single from the upcoming “CM Ultra,” due July 17, 2026.

The bassline is immediately strong, carrying a retro nostalgia that suits the project’s 80s new wave DNA. The drumkit selection and lead synth choices are equally well considered, landing somewhere between classic synthpop and early 2000s electronic dance music. The production is polished and the energy is high.

The vocal direction on this track gives us some pause. Something feels slightly different from her past work, a quality that is hard to pin down precisely but sits just slightly outside of what made earlier releases like “Jawbreaker” work so well. Whether that is an intentional creative shift or simply a function of the material remains to be seen across the full album.

Lyrically “No Magic” is a resignation of mystical and spiritual coping mechanisms. “It’s about coming down to reality and accepting that there are things you can never change,” Moan has said. That framing suits the direct, energetic production well even if the execution leaves us slightly uncertain.

“CM Ultra” is shaping up to be an ambitious record. The full picture will be clearer in July.

Label: Born Losers Records Released: May 27, 2026