‘The Moon’ by Magick Brother & Mystic Sister | New Album, ‘Tarot Pt. II’
Exclusive video premiere of ‘The Moon’ by Magick Brother & Mystic Sister, taken from the upcoming album ‘Tarot Pt. II,’ slated for release on November 22, 2024, via Sound Effect Records.
Continuing the enchanting journey started with ‘Tarot Pt. I’ in March, this second installment is designed to be an immersive experience on vinyl, where the two discs combine to form an astrological mandala. It will be available as a limited edition gatefold vinyl in classic black, a limited navy edition, and two ultra-limited versions in galaxy blue/black and galaxy black/red, each featuring random Tarot stickers. A 6-panel CD digipack will also be released.
Completing their two-part concept album, ‘Tarot Pt. II’ is a kaleidoscope of 22 tracks inspired by the Major Arcana of the Tarot. The band’s unique sound fuses cosmic keyboards, intricate guitar work, dynamic rhythms, and atmospheric female vocals, blending elements of dream-prog, cosmic jazz, and magical folk.
The lineup features Eva Muntada (vocals, keys), Xavier Sandoval (bass, guitars), Alejandro Carmona (drums), and new member Tony Jagwar (sitar, guitars), alongside Glenn Brigman (vocals), Didac Ruiz (percussions), and Maddy Gray (voiceover).
Regarding the premiering track, the band shares: “This song is inspired by the Major Arcana of The Moon, the great feminine archetype. It symbolizes the world of imagination and the unconscious—the silent queen who brings us dreams at the end of the night…”
“A search for self-knowledge”
You’re diving deep into the Major Arcana with this album. As you explore these rich symbols, do you feel your personal stories intertwine with the archetypes in the Tarot?
Somehow, ‘Tarot’ is like an internal journey, a search for self-knowledge, and each person can integrate it into their own personal experience. Each composition has required introspection, since the symbolism of the Tarot leads you to those universal archetypes of the collective unconscious.
It was inevitable to relate our personal stories with the symbolism of each card. For example, when we composed the theme for ‘The Empress’ (which symbolizes the goddesses of fertility, creativity…), it coincided with the birth of our son. Or while we were thinking about ‘The Magician,’ we were reminded of those first lysergic experiences.
Your sound is a wild mix of influences—Krautrock, dream-prog, cosmic jazz. How do you turn the abstract idea of Tarot into music? Was there a specific moment in the studio when a track came alive as a representation of a Tarot card, like you were channeling its energy?
It’s similar to creating a soundtrack. Although the cards can have multiple interpretations, each character has its own symbolism, representing an action and possessing essential characteristics, such as the four elements (water, earth, fire, and air), colors, etc.—a visual language that’s difficult to express in words. From that, we take inspiration and transfer it to the musical plane through intuition.
Maybe during the recording of the themes related to the female arcana, there was a special connection. While composing the song for ‘The Hermit,’ we really felt that ancient, cavernous sound, which portrays well the energy of deep loneliness we were experiencing at the time. In ‘Tarot Pt. II,’ we felt a powerful and sweet sensation while recording ‘Strength’ and a peaceful feeling while recording the final song, ‘The World.’
“Once ‘Pt. I’ and ‘Pt. II’ are combined, they create a magic board for card readings.”
The packaging of Tarot Pt. II is meant to be a visual experience, especially with the astrological mandala. What inspired that design?
The Tarot is like a wheel, a mandala, an infinite cycle with no beginning and no end. It’s deeply connected to astrology. For example, ‘The Empress’ is related to the goddesses representing Venus, while ‘Justice’ is linked to Libra, and so on with all the Arcana. This circular design allowed us to unite the two albums into a single complementary work. Once ‘Pt. I’ and ‘Pt. II’ are combined, they create a magic board for card readings.
On the front and back cover, there are allegorical images, such as the girl pouring water that represents ‘The Star.’ We wanted to keep this idea of images in a cyclic movement within the design.
You brought in other musicians for this album, like Glenn Brigman and Maddy Gray. How does collaborating shape what Magick Brother & Mystic Sister sounds like?
The contributions of Alex on drums and Toni were very important for us. We needed that energy; it would have been difficult to face this challenge with creative freedom without getting lost in the labyrinth. Toni brought the ancestral sound of the sitar, as well as the electric guitar. We wanted each song to have different nuances, which made the contributions of all the musicians essential: Dominic and Maddy in the voiceovers, Didac and his African percussion, Maya on the flute, and above all, the great voice of Glenn, who sang on two songs. We would have loved to have even more collaborations, but it’s always complicated. We can only thank them all for their patience!
Tarot is all about uncovering truths and navigating life’s mysteries. Can you share a story from making ‘Tarot Pt. II’ where you faced a challenge or had an unexpected realization that shifted your view on your art or life?
The great revelation was the Tarot itself. For a long time, we consulted the cards, and on one occasion, we interpreted: “stop consulting the Tarot and dive back into making music.” This somehow sparked the creation of this band. During ‘Pt. II,’ there were many challenges, as it was precisely a second part. With ‘The Sun,’ we couldn’t find the right mood and discarded many tracks until we thought of making a song about friendship with lyrics by our good friend Louis Wigget. Then, everything started to flow. Through this process, we learned a lot. It expanded our view of art and life more than it provided revelations or unexpected changes.
There’s often a tension in Tarot between fate and free will. Does creating music feel more like a preordained path or a way to rebel against the norm?
That’s one of the big questions. It’s the kind of question you’d ask an oracle, perhaps one only the Sphinx of “The Wheel of Fortune” (also called the Wheel of Destiny) can answer. Do we choose our fate? Maybe it’s both. Although we’ve always felt destined to make music, there are times we’ve had to go against the tide and rebel to continue making music. But we should ask ourselves: what is the norm?
Looking ahead, what’s next for you after ‘Tarot Pt. II’? Are there other mystical themes you’re eager to explore in future work?
There’s a huge list. These themes are interconnected and will always be present in our music. Right now, we’re composing new songs and having fun with the process. We’re in our cave, and we hope to emerge soon with new music.
Klemen Breznikar
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