White Magic

Hailing from Brooklyn, the dark indie folk duo White Magic consists of Mira Billotte on vocals, guitar, and piano alongside guitarist Doug Shaw. Before the formation of White Magic, Billotte had performed in Quix*o*tic together with her sister Christina, who also belonged to Slant 6. The group's earliest lineup further included Miggy Littleton of Ida on drums and bass plus guitarist and drummer Andy Macleod from California Speedway. After playing shows across New York for several years and appearing on the United Bamboo collection, the act signed with Drag City in 2003. That spring White Magic performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival and released its debut EP, Through the Sun Door. In 2005 Billotte staged several White Magic concerts backed solely by guitarist Shaw, and this configuration became permanent. The group also contributed to a CD sampler sponsored by Tylenol during the same year. Billotte and Shaw began work on the band's debut album in 2005 as well, enlisting Gang Gang Dance's Tim DeWitt, an occasional early participant, together with other musicians to produce a more eclectic and layered sound. The resulting album, Dat Rosa Mel Apibus, appeared in fall 2006 and was followed in 2007 by the Dark Stars EP featuring both DeWitt and Dirty Three drummer Jim White. That year White Magic also supplied a version of "As I Went Out One Morning" to the soundtrack of the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There and issued the live album New Egypt recorded for Southern Records' Latitudes series.