Damian Lazarus is once again redefining the boundaries of electronic music with the release of his fifth studio album, Magickal, out now via Crosstown Rebels. In a bold departure from industry trends, Lazarus chose to drop the entire album at once, offering listeners a complete artistic experience from day one, instead of the traditional staggered single releases. This approach reflects his vision of the album as a cohesive, transcendent statement, setting the tone for a new era in his musical journey.

Coinciding with the album’s debut is his iconic Day Zero festival, which returned for another year in the mystical jungles of Tulum. A celebration of music, nature, and community, Day Zero merges cutting-edge production with deep reverence for local culture and sustainability. Lazarus’s commitment to blending ancient traditions with modern innovation mirrors the themes of Magickal, which explores mental elevation, sonic exploration, and the magical power of connection. Flaunt spoke with Damian Lazarus to discuss the creative process behind Magickal and the evolution of Day Zero.

You chose to release MAGICKAL as a full body of work versus releases singles, what do you want listeners to take away from digesting the project in full versus in different pieces?‍

I think the concept of an album as a work of art has got a bit lost in the age of digital platform algorithms. I realised I had created an album of 10 tracks, each song ranging from from 3 to 11 minutes and I decided I wanted people to experience them as I intended it, in total length as opposed to 6 or 7 tracks needing to be edited down to suit the platforms. We did end up leaving 2 songs off which will be released over the next weeks but the point here is that I did not want to bend to the needs of people with 40 second attention spans and rather appeal to the real music lovers left among us.

There are a number of incredible collaborators on this album. What can you tell us about your creative process working with an eclectic group of other artists, and what was your approach to working with them?‍

I decided early on that this album should feature friends, colleagues and talented artists I admire. Everyone I asked came to the project with a pure heart and was open to experimentation and collaboration. The album was mainly recorded at Monastic Studios in Tuscany but with other sessions in London, Los Angeles, Ibiza, Berlin and Lisbon. I love working with like minded people, it makes the journey more interesting and the moments of joy you share when you get to a state of completion are beautiful.

‍From amapiano to breakbeat and flamenco, MAGICKAL is your most adventurous album yet still comes together in a beautiful cohesive way. How do you feel you were able to connect these genres in one body of work?‍

It’s just me joining the dots of where I am as an artist these days. I've always been open minded and welcoming to all styles of music and I think my productions have always shown this to a large degree. You’ll often find me loitering in the stranger sections of record shops looking for inspiration or tuning through obscure radio stations on my trips around the world. I always want my own music to reflect this.

‍There’s a recurring theme of mythology and rituals in your music, can you tell us what magic came about during the recording and writing process, where you found your inspirations?‍

The connection between myself and JoJo Abot was very special. Almost like the coming together of a wizard and a witch that have hung out together in previous lives. Very soon after talking for the first time we were magically transported to my studio and after feeling out some of each other’s potions, we locked in and created some very magic spells.

‍You approached this album from a new perspective, sobriety, what did you feel changed when you chose to make this new path, how it affected your music, touring, etc.?‍

I'm just coming up on 9 months so it’s still very early days but I'm starting to feel pretty good. I lost a couple of very dear friends to drugs last year and I could feel myself slipping down a dark road that I didnt want to be on anymore. Im feeling very focused when im djing right now, I am open to the needs of the crowd and I have clarity of thought and execution. My touring system has changed dramatically. Instead of Tequila and Mezcal I'm drinking Coconut water and instead of After Parties, I'm heading to Meetings after my shows. But this said, I'm taking each day at a time and thankfully today I didn’t get wasted.

‍Your festival Day Zero is renowned for its connection to ancient traditions, futuristic production, and natural wonder. How do those themes manifest in the sound and vision of your new album?

‍I thought a lot about Day Zero when making the album, would this track work there? Is this the right sound for the jungle? I manifested myself playing some of the tracks there and it helped me quite a bit. Ultimately Day Zero has for me become THE best place to play music, everything is aligned perfectly for the ultimate experience in electronic music.

‍Your sunrise set is a revered pinnacle of the festival, both energetically and visually. What does the sunrise represent to you artistically and how does this crescendo influence your creative process?‍

The sun and moon played an important role in the making of this album, I reconnected with the cosmos after a little time away being a bit lost and I think you can hear the benefits in songs like Sunrise Generation and Searchin’ in particular. I’m not taking anything for granted these days and sunrise and sunset for me represent the beauty, the wonder and the magick of living.

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