Los Angeles music

Magdalena Bay: “Image”

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.

The Palms: “Pretenders”

Few instant pleasures compare with the in-person sight of a palm tree. And Arecaceae have become symbolic for everything from tropic and subtropic vacation spots to nature’s simple gifts and resilience against time and the elements. So we think the name’s a perfect fit for Los Angeles duo The Palms – down to their transportive sound, refreshing coastal flavors, and ability to stay relevant.

In other words, we’ve got no qualms with The Palms and we’d much rather bask in their shade than ever toss it their way. Yep, almost a full decade removed from their breakout hit “Push Off”, The Palms have maintained the mellow that made us fall for them in the first place. And they’ve continued to fan us with the same comfy caliber of retro-inspired rock throughout their post-COVID discography, most recently with the release of Wonderland in April.

This weekend The Palms breeze through Austin! Catch ’em at 3Ten this Friday alongside openers future.exboyfriend and make sure you’re an authentic enough attendee by familiarizing yourself with one of Wonderland‘s heavyweights, “Pretenders”. Because the blend of modern psych-pop influences crashing against chillwave-adjacent choices is truly the heart of Palms.

Caleb Veazey: “Teleprompter”

Let’s say you get selected as a live band member for a certified star…when you’re also scoring for high profile streaming networks and constantly trying not stealing the spotlight as a session musician. Yeah. Chances are, you’re pretty good.

So let’s look at Caleb Veazey – reared here in Austin but now based out of Northeast Los Angeles. Caleb spent a couple years backing KUTX favorite Jess Williamson on vocals, guitar, bass, and synth and continues to receive praise from Jess for his strong songwriting. And on top of providing original scores for the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Disney, early this year Veazey had the privilege of playing alongside jazz icon Bennie Maupin. As a gun-for-hire, that’s a rap sheet that speaks drastically to Veazey’s versatility and talent.

About a month and a half back, Caleb Veazey unveiled his sophomore full-length, Movie Stars & Politicians, an LP that leaps across modern jazz, indie, pop rock, and dare we say proto-punk. Yeah, aside from individual song similarities to Flaming Lips and Elliott Smith, “Teleprompter” channels the raucous, unrestrained aura of mid-late-’70s CBGB – somewhere between T. Rex, early Devo, Richard Hell, and New York Dolls. It’s unhinged. It’s awesome. And even if you don’t know the words after a few listens, you’ll definitely know your start cue to wig out when the guitar solo kicks in.