Magnetic Fish is the electronic music project of Don James, a lifelong sonic explorer whose journey began with the influences of Wendy Carlos, Larry Fast, Suzanne Ciani, Isao Tomita,  and Keith Emerson. His first synthesizers were an ARP 2600P and an ARP Odyssey. Those two instruments, a Teac mixer, and a 4-track tape recorder comprised Don’s first studio.

In the mid-1980s, the original analog synths gave way to a new crop of synths including the Roland Jupiter 8 and the venerable Yamaha DX7. With the advent of MIDI, Don’s arsenal took on a new look with a battery of MIDI based sound modules, samplers, and a Mac SE30 running MOTU Performer sequencing software. Add a 16 track recorder and a proper mixing desk, and his studio grew into an environment for experimentation and discovery.

Over the years, Don has composed music for films and advertising, as well as individual artists looking for the perfect song. After redirecting his creative energies to focus on nurturing a career in photography, Don returned to music in 2024, inspired by the revival of vintage analog synthesizers. Magnetic Fish channels both the pioneering spirit of electronic music’s past and the possibilities of today’s technology, crafting immersive soundscapes that are calming, meditative, and deeply atmospheric.

Magnetic Fish is music for listeners who want to slow down, breathe deeply, and experience the timeless textures of analog synthesis reimagined for the present day.