Observer Exlcusive: Watch Luna Luna's First Music Video, "80's Tune"

In October Luna Luna had barely locked in its sixth member after co-founders Kavvi (vocals/producer) and Gilbert Avila (producer/engineer/keys) were on a search to build a modern indie band. Through open mics at Drugstore Cowboy, friends of friends and college classmates, the band finally came together. Since then the sextet’s earnest charm has quickly garnered a buzz in the city, leading to sold-out, jam-packed house shows, opening slots for national touring acts, local media attention and plenty of fans on social media.

The all-Hispanic band from Oak Cliff makes tender tunes highlighting Kavvi’s melody-rich writing style with the band delivering swooning instrumentation, giving each Luna Luna track an earworm quality to it. “I just try to make it sound good. I’d rather leave out a good lyric than to leave out a good melody,” frontman Kavvi says of his approach to writing. Even if melodies are the focus, the band has delivered plenty of sentimental, heartfelt tracks like “Revelation,” “For You” and many others that draw on past or current relationships. There’s also a nostalgic quality to the band that comes from its influences like Tame Impala and Mac Demarco, but with its latest releases, Luna Luna is beginning to carve out a style all its own.

“80's Tune” is a blend of that influenced sound coupled with Luna Luna’s developing signature style, and the video is premiering today on the Dallas Observer. The lighthearted vignette was co-directed as a class project by Ashley Rosas, Tierney Conley, Brennan Pierce and inspired by the final scene in season two of the Netflix hit Stranger Things, which is in turn a take on John Hughes’ iconic '80s school dance scenes a la Sixteen Candles. The production of the band’s first music video is also a testament to the local popularity of the band. “We just put out a casting call on a Facebook event for the video like a party, and the whole cast ended up being Luna Luna fans,” Rosas says.

With the band’s first music video now released, next on Luna Luna’s checklist is the release of its debut EP For Lovers Only. The release party is this weekend at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center and features a live performance from the band as well as Pretty Boy Aaron, The Bralettes and bemyfriend DJ’ing throughout the night.

“If this pace continues, in the next six months, we’ll probably be somewhere we didn’t think we could get to,” Kavvi says, “because six months ago I had no idea we’d be here where we are now.”