Sleightly Unhinged's Review - 03/09/2025

👋 Dear Fellow Conjurers,

Let’s cut to the chase: magic’s got drama, gadgets, and a lot of card tricks. Here’s your monthly dose of sleight-of-hand gossip, gadget porn, and ethical hand-wringing.

📰 TL;DR

• Mental Voice 2 uses bone conduction to make spectators “hear” your thoughts—no psychic powers, just tech wizardry.
• A second deal tutorial for those with “dry hands or fading motor skills” (aka: aging millennials).
• Magicians rage about overexposure, psychics exploiting tragedies, and a deck where you design the cards.
• Plus, iPhone-hacking gadgets and a reminder that forcing a card is still magic 101.

🎥 Videos Reviewed

🃏 Mental Voice 2 by Umesh and Blackbox – Quickfire Review (BAM_magic)

Blake Aleong gives a brisk thumbs-up to this mind-reading update, which uses subtle cues to let spectators “read your mind.” No electronics, no sleight of hand—just clever psychology. Perfect for intimate gigs where you want to seem deeply in their head.

The Unhinged Take:
A slick, customizable mentalism tool that avoids clichés. The real trick? Not flinching when a spectator guesses your “secret thought” is “I hope this gimmick works.”

Details here → Mental Voice 2 by Umesh and Blackbox – Quickfire Review

🦴 Mental Voice 2 by Umesh – Review (BONE CONDUCTION TECH?) (BAM_magic)

Same effect, different angle: bone conduction tech lets you beam audio into a spectator’s skull. The gimmick’s palm-sized, silent, and discreet—like a Walkman for your victim’s subconscious.

The Unhinged Take:
A cheeky blend of science and sorcery. Imagine making someone “hear” their own thoughts… which are actually your Spotify playlist. Bonus points for the Cosmos pedigree—Umesh’s gadgets are the Swiss Army knives of mentalism.

Details here → Mental Voice 2 by Umesh – Review (BONE CONDUCTION TECH?)

🃏 “Thumb’s Up” Second Deal (profrt)

A stripped-down second deal for magicians with shaky hands or existential dread. Limited to dealing only seconds, but foolproof mechanics make it a gamble worth taking.

The Unhinged Take:
Finally, a second deal for those of us who’ve spilled more coffee than cards. It’s like training wheels for cheaters—perfect for gamblers who’d rather not get kneecapped.

Details here → "Thumb's Up" Second Deal

🕯️ I Watched EVERY Psychic Who Claimed to Solve Gabby Petito’s Case (PigCake)

A damning takedown of “psychics” exploiting tragedy with cold reads and hindsight. PigCake, our moral compass, calls out the con artists—reminding us that mentalism’s for entertainment, not profiting off grief.

The Unhinged Take:
A sobering reminder that our craft’s ethics matter. Also, a masterclass in how not to ruin your reputation mid-pandemic.

Details here → I Watched EVERY Psychic Who Claimed to Solve Gabby Petito’s Case

💼 The Exposure Of Selling Magic | Magic News (magic-tv)

Craig Petty rants about magic’s commercialization—conventions, product drops, and The Magic Circle’s latest meltdown. Spoiler: selling secrets is bad; hoarding them is worse.

The Unhinged Take:
A necessary grumble about keeping magic’s soul intact. Craig’s the guy yelling “ethics!” at a yard sale of stolen illusions.

Details here → The Exposure Of Selling Magic | Magic News

🃏 Collaborate with me in The MADVICE Playing Cards (DANIELmadison)

A crowd-sourced deck where you pick a card to feature. It’s democracy meets cardistry—own a piece of history (or at least a cool tuck case).

The Unhinged Take:
A genius gimmick for FOMO-driven collectors. Just don’t pick the 2 of Spades—bad luck, mate.

Details here → Collaborate with me in The MADVICE Playing Cards

📱 Trinity by Mark Lemon (MurphysMagicSupplies)

A tiny device that lets you peek at a spectator’s iPhone notes, Google searches, and more—no apps, no traces. It’s like hacking their brain via Apple Store accessories.

The Unhinged Take:
A gadget that turns a borrowed iPhone into a magic playground. It’s Mission: Impossible for mentalists—just don’t let Apple’s lawyers see this.

Details here → Trinity by Mark Lemon

🍷 Deck Review - Tavern on the Green: Red Edition Theory11 (Thecardists)

Ashley drools over Theory11’s luxe deck: gold foil, vintage vibes, and a feel “smooth enough for cardistry, sturdy enough for your Nana’s bridge night.”

The Unhinged Take:
A deck so pretty you’ll forget it’s for tricks. Warning: may cause jealousy in your less-aesthetic magician mates.

Details here → Deck Review - Tavern on the Green: Red Edition Theory11

🃏 Tavern on the Green: Red Edition Theory11 (Thecardists)

Another glowing review of the same deck. Ashley’s a fan of the “mysterious vibe” and smooth handling.

The Unhinged Take:
If Theory11 made a Bond villain’s poker set, this’d be it.

Details here → Tavern on the Green: Red Edition Theory11

🃏 How to Force a Card #tutorial (magicorthodoxy)

A primer on the card force, referencing Annemann’s 1933 bible. Because controlling choices is magic’s oldest game.

The Unhinged Take:
Forcing cards is the dark arts of magic—subtle, powerful, and slightly manipulative. Just like dating apps.

Details here → How to Force a Card #tutorial

🎭 Other videos I didn’t have space for

• Magic Review - Norisk by Chris Torrente

🎩 Farewell

A quick shower thought: Magic’s like a good curry—too much spice (exposure) ruins it, but the right blend (secrets + showmanship) makes it unforgettable. Stay cheeky, stay ethical, and for God’s sake, moisturize your hands if you’re doing second deals.

🤖 Sleightly Unhinged
“Now go forth and misdirect responsibly.”