Song of the Day

Song of the Day > All Episodes

August 20, 2024

Magdalena Bay: “Image”

By: Jack Anderson

Buenos Aires. Miami. Los Angeles. All three coastal (or with the latter at least coast-adjacent) metropolises that perfectly embody the breezy, night drive-friendly feel of synth-pop. But no matter where contributions to that style get made, once they’re unleashed, they enter the subconscious for world’s internal ’80s-inspired electronic score, whether you’re attempting to court a provocateur, on the lam from the law, or crushing it on the dance floor.

So with roots in Buenos Aires and Miami plus a current HQ in L.A., Magdalena Bay are some of the most qualified international ambassadors and arbiters of the synth-pop sound. For nearly a decade now, these hyper-stylized partners in crime, music, and romance have soared upward to become a mainstay soundtrack for younger generations. And it makes sense. The duo deeply understands the intricacies of proper pop songwriting and production, and have curated a delightfully DIY visual brand that’s clearly clicked with the Tik Tok crowd.

This Friday Magdalena Bay shares their sophomore full-length Imaginal Disk, ahead of the Imaginal Mystery Tour, which includes a stop at Scoot Inn on September 28th. The official website gives you a vivid idea of the vibe on Imaginal Disk (especially with the interactive roadmap and early-internet aesthetic), as does the music video for the LP’s second of three lead singles, “Image”. Because between effects-drenched Minogue-esque vocals, Moroder-reminiscent instrumental tones, and the overall insanely catchy combo of chords and melody, “Image” showcases one the slickest implementations of synth pop formulas this side of the millennium, even by Magdalena Bay’s standards.


Episodes

November 26, 2025

Stephen Doster w/ the #9 Orchestra: “Goodness”

f you’ve been in Austin for any amount of time, and especially if you’ve called Austin home for a decade or few, you’re no doubt familiar with the #9 Orchestra, a group of musicians from a myriad of backgrounds who come together at least once a year to perform the songs of the Beatles and […]

Listen

November 20, 2025

Judy Blank: “Cosmic Kids” (ft. SUSTO)

Growing up in the Netherlands, Judy Blank fostered an early love for classic American cinema. She’s married that love with her stamp of DIY-indie eclecticism, sometimes leaning more Americana (something she honed during her brief time as a Nashvillian) and sometimes dreamy indie-pop, but always poetic, seemingly effortless, and marked with that signature Dutch wit and brutal […]

Listen

November 19, 2025

Matthew Payne: “Down In the Valley”

Singer-songwriter Matthew Payne‘s poetic Americana is salt of the Earth, evocative of both his Dripping Springs upbringing and nearly two decades as an English and creative writing teacher here in Austin. And with a stage roster that includes Hole In the Wall, Saxon Pub, and the Cactus Cafe, he truly is Austin Americana timelessness personified. […]

Listen

November 18, 2025

Sweet Limb: “Who’s This”

While one taste may be in the name, the latest from Austin’s Sweet Limb is savory and brimming with umami. Historically, Sweet Limb founder Chris Robinson has performed with a band, but his new EP The Pastel Noise is all him, venturing into more experimental sounds and introspective lyrics, making the new direction more than […]

Listen

November 17, 2025

The Goods: “April Fools”

Oakland underground music veteran Rob Good has been hard at work with his jangly, power pop trio The Goods, blending shimmery British Invasion-style energy with a bit of 90’s indie pop flair to create something simultaneously nostalgic and new. The follow-up to their 2023 debut EP is the full album Don’t Spoil the Fun. The […]

Listen

November 14, 2025

Tess Clare: “Anemoia”

Last time we checked in with L.A.’s Tess Clare, we were talking about wanting more and the restlessness of sitting still for too long. Now, we’re reveling in anemoia, a feeling of nostalgia for a time or place we’ve never experienced ourselves. Like elder Gen Z-ers yearning for that night in 1991 when Nickelodeon premiered […]

Listen

November 13, 2025

Moody Joody: “OOPS!”

Nashville shimmer pop trio Moody Joody are ushering in a new era of music for themselves and heeding he neverending call of “WE WANT MORE ANTHEMS!!” Or…dancethems if you wanna be cute. Lead vocalists Kaitie Forbes and Kayla Hall along with producer Andrew Pacheco have been working with Grammy-winning Scott Harris (Shawn Mendes, Dua Lipa, […]

Listen

November 12, 2025

Born Ruffians: “Athena”

Across three decades, Born Ruffians have been a pivotal part of the Toronto music scene. And in that time, music has changed, artists have come and gone, leaving their various marks, and while many artists look around and see themselves surrounded by new generations and fall back, the Canadian quartet has marched forward, always pushing […]

Listen