By: Lisa Steinberg
Q) Your debut album Aloha Moon came out in 2012. How have you evolved as an artist since stepping into the music scene?
Dexy: 2012 is a lifetime ago. We’ve grown into our sound over the years with more depth, layers and dimensions, especially on our last two albums. They are more personal. Early on we were driven by a more minimal approach and formula working with producers but now we’ve learned to not conform to any rules or definitive structure just for the sake of keeping a pop formula; we create our own and experiment more. When I look back on songs like “Black Magic” and “Teenage Love,” they were intentionally catchy and instant but that was then. I prefer what we do now. We know what we want to put out in the world in terms of writing something meaningful over the sake of writing something instantly catchy, but you have to have some of that. We’re always looking for the balance of dark and meaningful and light and accessible. It’s a fine line. I think all artists go through periods of wanting instant gratification. That may catch on faster, but it lacks depth and substance and that’s what I feel at the end of the day sticks and matters most to us. Everything is a two second blip on the radar now, you have two seconds to grab someone’s attention; we’re not playing that game. There will be people who want something more and those are who we make music for.
Chris: I think we’ve done a lot in trying new things when we write and record. We were more straightforward when we started out, but for example on the last record a lot of the guitar was done with a violin bow.
Q) What are some themes you explore on your new album, Cascades?
Dexy: Cascades is about capturing a time lost or a time even before our time. It’s about a feeling that slipped away as technology progressed and times have changed. The themes are romance, nature, love and traveling back in time. It’s extracting things from our imagination, dreams, old architecture, European landscapes and faded pictures of a world that has come and gone.
Chris: I would say we are staying true to our original idea when we started the band, which were exclusively themes related to magic, love and dreams while also bringing a bit more personal experiences and feelings into it. In the past it was a lot of fantasy.
Q) The album somewhat focuses on how the past plays a role in who we become. Where does this fascination for you stem from?
Dexy: I’ve been re-reading John Keats and Oscar Wilde poetry books and watching old movies thinking about how time, nature and love blur into the supernatural. I have more of a relationship to dead poets, rivers, trees and gardens than I do with most people these days. That connection helped shape the heart of the album.
Chris: I guess because the past seems more interesting than whatever this modern day world is. I’ve been tuning out everything modern more and more lately, most things seem cheap and soulless and so I’ve just been drawn to things that are old and beautiful, built well or seems like were made with a lot heart.
Q) Cascades was shaped by “the spirit of centuries-old poetry, gothic romance and myth.” Were there particular poets or stories you read that played a part in crafting certain songs?
Dexy: Certain songs were inspired by Oscar Wilde and John Keats poetry, a 100-year-old book Chris got about the World’s Fair. Also, 80’s and 90’s movies. The song “Room With A View” was inspired by the 1985 British romance movie with that title. “Albatross” was partly inspired by The Rime of the Ancient Mariner poem published in 1798 but in the song “Albatross” is about rebirth and good luck, which is quite different from the poem. I love old classic VHS movies like The Princess Bride (1987) and Everafter (1998), which inspired “Armour.” Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) and Interview With A Vampire (1994) inspired “Across the Water,” “Moonshadow” and “Cascades.” A movie about John Keats called Bright Star (2009) inspired “Riverbed” a bit. Also, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published in 1911 called The Secret Garden, inspired certain songs on the album. I will read a book ten times in a row and re-watch a movie fifty times. I get lost in a world and then recreate my own.
Q) With the album release in October, what kind of fan response have you been receiving to it?
Dexy: It’s been really good. Fans are connecting to it. They understand it’s not your typical modern day pop record. We could make a catchy pop album in our sleep but that’s not mentally or emotionally fulfilling for us. At some point, we may flip a switch and just do that, but only if the time is right.
Chris: It’s been great. Our fans seem to really like the album, and I heard it was being played at some weddings.
Q) My favorite songs off this album are “Time to Dream” and “Across the Water.” Which of tracks hold a special place in your heart and why?
Dexy: “Riverbed” and “Room With A View” capture the essence of the album and “Cascades” would be the deepest point and “Across The Water.” I love them all really. Feel a lot of it was channelled.
Chris: It’s hard to say. They all have a different meaning, and each one reminds me of what we were doing when we wrote them. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say “Riverbed” because we took a chance on putting that on the record because it was so unusual compared to everything on the album and what we’ve done in the past. We weren’t sure if anyone would like it but it’s a lot of people’s favorites.
Q) You recently performed some of the tracks off the album at Substance Fest. What song(s) seemed to a fan favorite?
Dexy: “Across the Water,” “Moonshadow” and “Hide” went over well.
Chris: I don’t know. I can’t really see what’s going on when we play live, but I heard there were people dancing when we played “Hide.”
Q) Last year when we spoke to you a dream collab was Night Rose. Who are some artists these days you would love to work with?
Dexy: Oh yes, she’s our friend. We produced and remixed her EP. Currently excited to collab with our new friend John, the original guitarist of The Psychedelic Furs. But other than that, I’m not thinking about collabs much. Chris and I work well together and are about to start the next album.
Chris: Honestly, I really only care to work with Dexy. She’s my favorite singer and I’m not really interested in working with any other artists at the moment.
Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of you and the beautiful music you make as Magic Wands?
Dexy: We’re grateful for every listen and all your kind words. Music is how we connect across the distance, and our fans from all over the world are part of that. Thanks for dreaming with us.
Chris: I would say thank you to them. Our fans and supporters really are great. From the messages and comments we get, I know they genuinely like our music and that’s what matters the most – that they understand the feelings we have and put into the music when we create our songs and that’s really cool.