Is that some swinging 1960s elevator music in your pocket, or are you just listening to Moonlight Magic on your smart phone? The Phoenix-based band’s blend of bossa nova, lounge music and art pop make it the perfect sonic garnish for the cultural cocktail kick-off of Arizona Tiki Oasis (aztikioasis.com), taking over Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale April 22-25. The instrumental quartet will perform at the event’s Meet & Mingle Pop-Up Art Show from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, setting the tiki-tunes tone for the rest of the weekend’s events.
Here are three of the island-grooviest Moonlight Magic songs to tip your glass to, all of which can be found on the album Phoenixotica (sloperecords.com).
“Island Encounter”
Imagine a leisurely two-step waltz, barefoot with sand between your toes, and you’ll get the gist of this organ-rich ditty ornamented with springy guitar. Or imagine Jimmy Buffett drunk on rum instead of tequila – similar gist.
“‘H’ Is for Horse”
Moody saxophone and woozy guitars allude to the narcotic effects of this song’s supposed namesake, but a twinkling organ solo lights up the core like a tiki torch, lifting the spirits to raise another Hurricane – which ‘H’ could also stand for.
“Como Posso Penetrar Voce”
This song’s title is in Portuguese, and it, uh, loosely translates to, “How can I penetrate you.” Plucky guitar and soft “bah-bah-bah” backup vocals segue into a sexy saxophone solo, leaving the titular question open.
