Magic Wands

Dream pop duo Magic Wands originated in Nashville through the partnership of Dexy and Chris Valentine. Following an extended period of maintaining a relationship across considerable distance, Dexy moved from Los Angeles to reunite with Chris in Nashville, where the project first materialized alongside the 2008 appearance of their Blondie-esque debut single “Teenage Love.” An actual magic wand mailed during their cross-country courtship directly supplied the group’s name. That year also saw the release of their two-song single Black Magic/Kaleidoscope Hearts on the London indie label Ark Recordings. A subsequent U.S. agreement with the California-based Bright Antenna label brought forth the Magic Love & Dreams EP in 2009. The next year the xx, the British indie pop group, supplied a remix of the track “Warrior,” after which Magic Wands returned to the West Coast and settled in Los Angeles. Considerable acclaim greeted the arrival of their debut album Aloha Moon in 2012, which elevated their visibility and secured support slots alongside the Black Keys, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and the Kills. After augmenting their roster with a live rhythm section, Magic Wands issued their sophomore LP, Jupiter, in early 2016.