Album Review: Magdalena Bay - 'Imaginal Disk'
A sonic journey filled with existentialism and nostalgia.
Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum, a.k.a. Magdalena Bay, have long been a force to reckon with. The synth-prog pop duo have been blending ethereal melodies with over-the-top production for years, writing about love, identity, and mostly the internet. Their 2021 acclaimed debut, Mercurial World, shocked the indie music scene and earned them a huge and dedicated following. With their sophomore record, Imaginal Disk, it is almost certain that this following will expand even further. This record follows a similar direction but is definitely more expansive, avant-garde, and full of ideas that work perfectly together throughout the 15 tracks.
The previously released singles were all brilliant. “Death & Romance” is a clever rock banger with a catchy piano melody that reminds us that: “Nothing is fair in death and romance”. “Image” is a self-searching tune that sounds straight out of a video game. It is about finding an alternate version of ourselves: “Meet your brand new image”. And “Tunnel Vision”, a psychedelic rock tune that slowly turns into complete chaos (in the best way), replicating a self-destructive romance: “I’ve learned what made me start / What turned me on / Now I’m scared of all my parts / ‘Cause suddenly I can see everything wrong.”
The high-concept music videos, as well as the interactive website accompanying the release of the record, follow a made-up digital world with very strange and mind-bending images. It’s very DIY in the most fun and creative way possible, proving how their artistry can go far beyond just the songs.
There’s always meaning behind Magdalena Bay’s music, and in this record, it might be darker than you think. From the album cover with the demonic hand reaching to Tenenbaum’s forehead to insert the disk, to the disturbing imagery in the lyrics, this record is an experience that completely absorbs the listener into both an oniric landscape and a nightmare filled with existentialism and nostalgia. It also serves as a masterclass on tracklisting, with both sonic and lyrical elements flowing perfectly. The album opens with “She Looked Like Me!” which could have easily come straight out of the soundtrack of the recently released eerie indie flick I Saw The TV Glow. It’s a self-reflective love story between the narrator and a reflection of herself: “We stood mirrored till I leaned in / And then you know what she did? / She shot at me like an earthbound bullet.” It then flows into “Killing Time”, a more classic pop tune about the need and search for love, especially romance. It feels like a summer breeze until the tone abruptly changes in the outro, which features a ghostly voice repeatedly singing: “I’m looking in the mirror and swallowing the key / It only takes a minute to forget a week.”
Imaginal Disk is a record that consistently demands your attention, painting a sometimes confusing but exquisite sonic picture. There is always something refreshing about music with intention and cohesiveness, and this record is just that. Whether it is the repeated melodies in “True Blue Interlude” and “Feeling DiskInserted”, or the bizarre upbeat disco number “That’s My Floor”, everything serves a purpose that you might have to digest first to fully understand.
As original as it is, it also evokes other progressive pop visionaries such as Chairlift, Kero Kero Bonito, and, at times, early St. Vincent. Wearing their hearts on their sleeves, it is a profoundly personal and highly conceptual record. The lyrics are raw and, like in “Vampire in the Corner” or “Cry for Me”, filled with self-pity, which is an honest reflection of the experience of love. Following a consistent, but less impactful streak of songs such as the synthy “Fear, Sex”, the lyrically dark “Watching T.V.” and the dreamy “Love is Everywhere”, the record reaches a new high on the penultimate track, “Angel on a Satellite.” This stripped-down tribute to her fans and collaborator is an emotional key point on the record in which Tenenbaum reflects on summer winds and seems to be singing directly to either the listener or Lewin: “Damn, man, play that thing / Keep on pulling at my strings / ‘Cause when I see me through your eyes / I love me so don’t leave my side / You always see the sky / Angel on a satellite.” The record ends on a happy note with “The Ballad of Matt & Mica”, a cinematic closer about their rise to fame and all the years of trying to get to where they are now: “Open heart, old cliché / Two kids in a new town, baby / Is it my turn? Small-time fame / Bang-bang and a happy ending.”.
Imaginal Disk is Magdalena Bay at its strongest, continuing to push their limits and marking a significant evolution and further artistic growth. Not being afraid of trying different sounds or adding every single absurd idea into the mix, it is one of the best records you will hear this year and a fantastic follow-up to their debut, cementing their place at the forefront of progressive pop.
Words by Marcos Sanoja
