Magana - “To My Love”
When singer-songwriter Magana isn’t laying down the low end for Mitski, she’s cooking up records of her own. Today, the Los Angeles-based artist arrives on our blog with “To My Love,” the brand new single from her sophomore record, Teeth.
Much of Teeth was written during the pandemic, when life took an unfortunate and uncertain turn for most of the population, which, as it turns out, has been quite fruitful for this world of music. “To My Love” is no exception and we are certainly glad that it exists, in all of its dark and gritty glory.
Amidst an ambience of digital artifacts, “To My Love” gets things started with an acoustic guitar performance, delicately carving an intimate path for the remainder of the tune. Magana’s vocal soon emerges, raw and emotive, warmly reminiscent of Sharon Van Etten, a blog favorite.
The first third of the track maintains this gentle waltz with darkness, traversing the common state of wanting to find love, yet being afraid to let anyone peer over the walls you’ve built around your heart. The lyrics are comprised of a story that feels very personal, yet entirely and heartbreakingly relatable.
As “To My Love” moves forward, it picks up some exquisite passengers, such as a remarkable vocal harmony and a vintage-tinged rhythm section that will surely bring you back for multiple listens. Layers of synth and resounding backing vocals fill the soundscape to its capacity, providing a rich listening experience for anyone fortunate enough to have pressed the play button.
About the new record, Magana adds: “I recorded this during lockdown in the pandemic. The world started to look strange to me, as if I was an alien plopped down in the middle of Los Angeles but with all these human feelings. I wanted this album to reflect that not only in the lyrics but in the soundscapes as well. I wanted it to sound like earth and space at the same time, so I arranged acoustic guitars, strings, and winds to weave in and out of synth lines and electric guitar solos.”
Magana’s craft is astoundingly human and “To My Love” is the perfect soundtrack for those late-night roadtrips through introspection, wondering why you cannot find someone worthy of your love, while also being grateful you’re alone. We strongly suggest that you get it into your ears asap.