spellbound especial

SPELLBOUND

Especial

May 1, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Duo’s Global Mix of Latin Rhythms, Funk, & Pop on New Album is ‘Especial’

Los Angeles, CA - With seemingly no end to their boundless energy and enthusiasm for music, songwriters/producers Bobby Moon and Paul ‘Pablo’ Thomas of Spellbound have entered another decade as recording artists. A new album of original material entitled Especial drops July 21, 2023 on the duo’s Selfish Recordings label. The album is special, in that it is Spellbound’s 10th full length recording, and one in which Thomas and Moon upped the ante, challenging themselves creatively, as never before. New tracks, such as “Party in la Calle” and “Destinado” update Spellbound’s musical fusion, seamlessly blending elements of Cuban Salsa, American R&B/Funk, and British Sophisti-Pop. Although complemented by their usual guest performers, curated from L.A.’s best working musicians, Thomas and Moon handle the majority of the instruments and vocals themselves. It’s impressive when one considers it’s just the two of them on the album’s first three tracks, creating what DJ/authorTom Schnabel calls their “big, L.A. sound.” 

Despite an impressive back catalog, substantial critical acclaim, and brushes with the mainstream, the duo have all but shunned the spotlight.

“At a certain point, I realized that following the sacred, instead of the secular path, in music, was more beneficial to me,” attests Moon. ”Not being motivated by fame or money, but in the joy and fulfillment of the creative process.” 

It didn’t start out that way. Friends as teens, the two were performing late nights in L.A. clubs, producing demos, and seeking out major labels when they were barely old enough to drive. 

Elektra and Warners apparently never came knocking, but Thomas and Moon weren’t waiting around anyway,” as Easy Reader News (7/31/14) pointed out. Instead, their first band, post-punkers Life After Death, decided to put out their own vinyl E.P. A busy year followed, with band members eventually going separate ways after completing their educations. Having had a taste of recording studios and radio airplay, Thomas and Moon were hooked. They stuck together, immersed themselves in the latest production techniques, and explored the more sophisticated grooves of Funk, Soul, and Latin music. 

The early 1990s saw the birth of their new project, Spellbound. Not a band in the traditional sense, Spellbound centers on Thomas and Moon’s songs and production, with the duo’s multi-instrumental prowess augmented by guest vocalists and musicians. Early recordings blossomed into full-length albums. A tenuous distribution deal was inked with an independent label, and Spellbound’s first few releases got into some of the big record chain stores. Critics took notice.

“Thomas and Moon seem to be fluent in every form of Dance music on the planet,” enthused Campus Circle (Vol. 9 #14), and the once-prestigious Latin Beat Magazine (11/99) dubbed them “the right Dance music band for any city in this world.”

Spellbound’s new album Especial will be available for streaming and download on most major online platforms July 21, 2023, with a limited edition compact disc distributed by CDBaby.com or visit Spellboundband.com. Contact Robert Shimeall (310) 357-4630 or email selfishrecordings@yahoo.com for further information.

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SPELLBOUND BIO 2023 

Spellbound was formed in the mid 1990s by founding members Paul ‘Pablo’ Thomas (guitars, keyboards) and Bobby Moon (vocals, percussion) from Los Angeles, California. As award-winning songwriters and producers, the duo have been performing and producing critically-acclaimed albums for over two decades.  
Spellbound's own brand of original music blends elements of 1970s Funk & Soul, 80s Sophist-Pop, and 90s Brazilian, Cuban & Latin Dance influences with socially-conscious lyrics. In 2000 Thomas & Moon gave up the idea of a permanent line-up and opted to record and perform with a revolving cast of known artists and musicians that have included Question Mark (? and the Mysterians), Cuban vocalist Candi Sosa, the late Artie "Mr. Flute" Webb, Roger Manning (Jellyfish), the late L.A. Salsa artist Johnny Polanco (whose last studio appearance is on Spellbound's 2015 "Pase La Voz" album), and many more.   

  

Spellbound to this day continues producing albums on their own Selfish Recordings label. Some highlights from their  catalog include 1999’s "Funqueros" (“a jewel of magnanimous proportions” -Campus Circle Vol.9 #14),  2007's "Poolside Fiesta," which spawned their first video, "Hot Sauce" and 2018's "The Main Hustle," which added guests Margaret Young (vocals), Scott Martin (saxes) and Blewfoot (drums). This album includes the stand-out track "Blues From Camp Fema," which continues to be a favorite on various Spotify Playlists. Other peak moments in Spellbound's career have included an opening slot at the Hollywood Bowl Summer Concert Series in July 2002 and playing the last infamous Sunset Junction Concert Series in 2010. Also, in 2008 Thomas and Moon achieved another milestone by acquiring their own recording facility, Tripsville Studio in Los Angeles. Tripsville has been home to not only Spellbound creations, but also solo and side projects, including, Candi Sosa’s "Faded Blue Jeans" (2012), Thomas & Moon’s MP3 single "Poison in our Skies" (2014), Bobby Moon’s "Private Message" album (2020) and Pablo’s new "Neutron City" (2023). 

  

Now to the present moment. Summer 2023 will mark the release of Spellbound’s newest and greatest musical accomplishment to date, their 10th album "Especial!" Featuring 9 Original Fusion Epics written & produced by Thomas & Moon. With the addition of a new horn section Juan Carlos Villaquiran (Saxes), Brian Beukelman (Trumpet), Humberto Ruiz (Trombone) and the return of Candi Sosa (Vocals, Congas, Guiro, Claves & Maracas) to the line-up, this is Spellbound's most Sophisticated musical creation to date.  

Press / Reviews

"Co-founders Bobby Moon and Paul Thomas seem to be fluent in every form of dance music on the planet." - Campus Circle (Sept 1-14,'99)

"The music and style of Spellbound is the sound brewed daily throughout the urban streets of Los Angeles. There is some clave, funk, dance, Latin grooves, and plenty of soulful goodies..." - Latin Beat Magazine (May, 2001/Vol.11,Number 4)

"They already have the formula for success, and the sky is the limit." - www.herencialatina.com (August, 2005)

"A proper musical melting pot that's both challenging and intriguing." - www.soulandjazzandfunk.com (February, 2018)