Drawing us in with a dramatic bass-guitar soundscape with cinematic allure and astral, cosmic detailing, Magenta Ray open A Kiss Like This with intrigue and delicate, sensual vocals as Lisa Hart sings, “Such a mystical notion, you sitting here next to me, looking into my eyes, you say get closer baby…”
We immediately connect with the cerebral and seductive energy that manifests as the production of the track builds into a dark-wave, alternative rock vibe that fans of Garbage, Hole and Space would be able to connect with. There’s subversion at play, but visually, Magenta Ray exudes cinematic allure.
There is no doubt that A Kiss Like This would be perfect for a multitude of sync placements, notably TV shows like Elite on HBO and Euphoria on Netflix, but also perhaps a film like Cruel Intentions, or Jennifer’s Body. The instrumental segue, with guitar performed by Mark Larson, half-way through the track also feels like a scene from a Bond film before Lisa shares an ethereal falsetto with celestial signals and gritty ad-libs. It’s absolutely hypnotic.
Speaking on the release, the duo confesses, “A Kiss Like This is all about the anticipation of a first kiss when the spiritual and physical connection are electrifying and true love is fuelling the fire of passion.”
We hit the nail on the head with the Garbage comparison, but the pair also cites The Pretenders, Portishead, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, and PJ Harvey as sonic influences, which we can also feel manifest on the track. On the creative process, Magenta Ray share, “A defining element of the recording process was capturing Mark’s guitar work, which utilizes a fast-panning tremolo and an unconventional chord progression. This combination creates a dizzying, spinning, and hypnotic sensation that directly mirrors the physical and emotional vertigo of falling head over heels in love. Capturing this effect in our own studio allowed us to dial in the exact atmosphere, blending raw guitar textures with dark, immersive, and surging electronic synth layers that were masterfully placed by Mark to add deep texture behind Lisa’s dynamic, edgy vocals.”
We love the uniqueness of the track and the 90s throwback energy with analogue instrumentation that comes to life. It feels raw, authentic, cinematic and real, at a time when we need music like this the most. We have added A Kiss Like This to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Magenta Ray, including Liquid Love, and Look into My Eyes.