With an intention of only releasing music that gives them goosebumps, the song “Another Funky Groove Monkey” is Magic Moments’ first official release of the new decade. “Another Funky Groove Monkey” is a whimsical bop that features Magic Moments rap-singing fanciful lyrics over a wavey dance-pop ballad that creates a feeling like the audio equivalent of Iyashikei. The song has a dreamy and playful take on the romantic and amorous plights of young lovers, perhaps serving as an idealistic refuge from the treacherous reality of Pat Benatar’s epic “Love Is A Battlefield.”

In the opening chorus Magic sings “I try to hold onto the pieces / As they turn into tears and slip through my fingers,” a seemingly bleak place to be, but the chorus concludes “And I know this could be real / This feels so real / This must be real real love.” If love conquers all, then surely it should also triumph over unrequited love. Magic opens the first verse with: “I feel like I could wait though / Like I’m a tomato / And the concrete is clouds / I don’t splatter / I still matter,” instantly blurring the lines between our perceptions of reality and fantasy, love and loss. In a later verse Magic hints at the feelings we all have in common: “This is all just daydream / It’s all just a big scheme / Universe doing big things / So you might think think / Think of me / When you’re lonely / Cause everybody wants to be / Another funky groove monkey.” And it’s true, we all want to love and be loved in return.

Artist statement: “The title of the song was a totally random idea at first. I came up with the main melodies late one night and I needed to save the music project file on my computer before going to sleep so I chose those words quickly and saved the project. A week later when I came back to the song, the silliness of the title inspired me to write the lyrics and tell a story about a subject matter that’s near and dear to my heart. I was inspired by that feeling when you’ve decided on who you love and want to be with and you’re willing to accept either their love in return or their rejection, because deep down you know that if they’re not the one for you, that other person is still out there somewhere, and now you’re one step closer to finding them. It’s exciting! And that excitement is what turns someone into a funky groove monkey.”