Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk
When you get the gut feeling that an artists's sophomore album feels more special than their debut upon first listen, that's a really good sign.
That's exactly why I needed more time to sit with this before writing anything. My excitement right off the bat was already immeasurable, starting with the release of "Death and Romance." I've been a casual fan of Magdalena Bay up until then and have credited them for being one of the most "of the internet era" acts in the past few years. Matt Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum have had a long history of making music together. Before Mag Bay, they fronted a short-lived prog-rock band and from there went onto create some creative, tongue-in-cheek synthpop on their EPs and Mimi Mixes.
However, their big breakout project "Mercurial World" made me both a fan and a follower of the duo, and what attracted me the most to them is their embrace of the weird. It still attracts me. Not only are some of the tunes catchy with off-kilter undertones surrounding them, but their cryptic visual media presence, especially on TikTok, has expanded their aesthetic into a world that's constantly evolving. It amazes me how their still able to get this huge and loyal following, even when their surrealist ambitions are too much to handle. So naturally, with this new album, my hopes were sky high with how the two could take their sound and meld it into something huger.
And oh boy, they've surely outdone themselves.
I was honestly speechless the first time I heard the lead single "Death and Romance," along with the stellar music video. It took everything infectious about the synthpop sound on Mercurial World and amped it up to 11 and even embracing some elements of Funk and Neo-R&B throughout the mix, especially during the harmonies on the chorus. Then "Image" sounding like the most "true to form" single out of the teasers presents a whirlwind of emotions, trying to separate the actual self from the realized self, a duality Matt and Mica explore throughout the album.
"Tunnel Vision" was a grower for me originally. I didn't care for the first half, as it did feel slightly underpolished compared to the latter half. But on subsequent listens, they fully proved me wrong. Matt and Mica are going back to their stomping grounds on this one, as the hushed vocal passages that open the light make way for these grandiose passages of live prog rock instrumentation that sends listeners on a journey of sorts. And the garage rock inspired "That's My Floor" is easily one of their more playful cuts on the album, despite the video making me feel uneasy.
But now having heard this album in full for the past week in a half, every track reinforces the next in both sound and aesthetic. No idea feels out of place, no matter how left field it may be, and the embrace of the unusual elements are in full force throughout the 53 minute runtime. The production on this thing is layered, textured, and grandiose when it wants to be, but minimal in its most subtle moments. The instrumental palate for a modern synthpop album is diverse, sticking to the keys, modulars, and beat machines they're used to, but adding in some live instrumentation on the most climactic points on the album. The progression from each song to the next is well sequenced and leaves few gaps for it to falter. No stylistic change feels too huge and overall, this is their most consistent, diverse, and forward thinking set of songs yet.
On a more thematically focused level, the semi-narrative that "Imaginal Disk" centers on infers itself to have something to do with duality. How we actually see ourselves versus how we want to see ourselves. It's clear more on this album that Matt and Mica wanted to put narrative over music, not just expanding the world that they've trademarked but giving it some meaning for existing. The breathtaking production, vocals, and lyrics add to this feeling of someone struggling between two sides self-importance. Every track and interlude inserts itself piecing together this eye-opening narrative of self-discovery. And the way the end of the album recycles ideas that were presented at the beginning brings everything to a full-circle.
I'm honestly in shock this turned out as good as it did. Matt and Mica's ambitions for this managing this project and their online brand coincided into something sonically unique and emotionally impactful. This is the best synthpop album of the past few years and I doubt there will be another one overtaking its place anytime soon.
Favorite Tracks: She Looked Like Me, Image, Death & Romance, Vampire in the Corner, Tunnel Vision, Love Is Everywhere, That’s My Floor, Cry for Me, Angel on a Wing, The Ballad of Matt and Mica
Least Favorite: Watching T.V. (if I really had to pick)
9/10
