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 2, 2026

They Might Be Giants: “Get Down”

For music veterans They Might Be Giants, momentum is the secret sauce….or novel spice blend, attributing the “open-endedness” of their approach to the craft as the key to their continued popularity and intrigue after 44 years. Their latest album (and note: their 24th) The World Is to Dig is a largely upbeat- 18-track romp, bursting […]

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October 30, 2026

lluvii: “junii (llámame)” [KUTX Live At ACL Fest 2026]

As we round fourth base on October, we’re giving it up one more time for our Artist of the Month lluvii. The Latin pop/psych group made their ACL Fest debut at the beginning of the month, and they stopped by our backstage tent to delight us with a live version of the song we’ve been […]

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October 29, 2026

Serena Sun: “Tell Me… Please”

Happy early halloween, and what’s scarier than growing up? Vancouver based, Serena Sun takes a silky, honest look at releasing the pressures of having her own fate in her hands. This is a sneak peak of this track set to be released tomorrow.

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October 28, 2026

Masahiro Okamura: “A Wonderful World Of Death”

Tokyo-based singer-songwriter Masahiro Okamura explores the idea of finding peace in death on “A Wonderful World of Death,” a dreamy blend of dream pop and indie electronic. Featuring strings from Brooklyn-based violinist Pete Lanctot, the track is the focus song from Okamura’s debut album, Foehn

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October 27, 2026

Devon Gilfillian: “Time” [Live In Studio 1A]

We’ve been hitting that new Devon Gillfilian album Time Will Tell pretty hard this year and for good reason: it’s catchy, soulful, and sometimes downright cinematic. When he came through Studio 1A earlier this month and his touring pianist Jay Blaylock was already poised at our Steinway, our Assistant Program Director Deidre Gott had a […]

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October 22, 2026

Sophie Seng: “Marionette”

Halloween is 9 days away (but who’s counting?) and today’s Song of the Day, “Marionette,” will certainly put you in the mood. Sophie Seng, Austin-based singer and saxophonist, tells the story of the struggle for freedom and its subsequent constraints through the perspective of a marionette puppet. The vivid imagery of a marionette finding its […]

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October 21, 2026

Materializer: “Unwind”

Nashville duo Materializer take listeners on a seven-minute-plus journey with “Unwind,” a heavy, psychedelic track that knows when to pull back and when to hit hard. Built around shifting guitars, hypnotic drones, and melodic vocals, the song moves between brooding tension and explosive riffs without losing its sense of atmosphere.

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October 20, 2026

Chief Cleopatra: “Waves”

Former KUTX Artist of the Month Chief Cleopatra is back with their first single in two years. Following in the footsteps of 2024’s pop-forward “Cold Dancer,” the group continues to toss aside their laurels, instead pushing deeper into more experimental territory in their most collaborative song to date. “Waves” is a pinnacle of art-pop, evoking […]

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