Imaginal Disk’s second single, “Image,” opens with the line, “What’s the best you’ve got?”
It’s a fitting intro as this album is, in essence, two artists bringing their absolute best to the recording studio.
Los Angeles-based indie pop duo Magdalena Bay made their grand return with the release of Imaginal Disk on Aug. 23. The duo, composed of Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum, has gained plenty of traction in recent years, largely due to their viral 2020 hit “Killshot.”
On the surface level, Imaginal Disk is a bright, poppy romp that conjures images of neon-lit shopping malls and 16-bit flash games. Yet as the album progresses, we get peeks behind the curtains of a dark, heavy, chaotic and somewhat uncomfortable soundscape.
By the end of your listen, you gain familiarity with these darker elements and they begin to feel strangely welcoming.
The album opens with “She Looked Like Me!” a triumphant track that introduces a common thread throughout the album — the idea of Tenenbaum having a doppelganger. The track closes with dreamy, sparkly tones, which perfectly transitions into “Killing Time,” a song about slipping from a mundane state into a world of dreams and nightmares.
Following a short interlude, the album hits listeners with the singles “Image” and “Death and Romance.” Releasing these two first was a savvy move, as the tracks encapsulate the variety of sounds on the album. “Image” is heavy and dark, yet filled with irresistible earworms, while “Death and Romance” feels like a touched-up 80s dance track.
The album’s middle section continues to surprise listeners. “Vampire in the Corner” is a bit cheesy and off-putting at first, but it fully invests its listeners by the track’s end. “Tunnel Vision” has a heavy prog-rock-inspired outro that hearkens to the duo’s roots with the band Tabula Rasa. “Love is Everywhere” is a lower-key cut driven by a memorable bassline and satisfying vocal harmonies.
The highlight of Imaginal Disk, however, is the breathtaking three-track run to close out the album.
Without a doubt,“Cry For Me” is the crux of Imaginal Disk. According to the duo, the track was inspired by the ABBA classic “Dancing Queen,” except much more raw and dramatic. The song builds up to a powerful conclusion, a cathartic release of existentialist lyrics and career-best vocals by Tenenbaum.
“Angel on a Satellite” is an excellent usage of strings that evokes a Beatles sound, something unexpected to hear from Magdalena Bay. The closer, “The Ballad of Matt and Mica,” is an excellent callback not only to the beginning of the album, but to the duo’s debut project Mercurial World which also aptly closes with the track “The Beginning.”
It’s rare for an artist these days to follow a highly acclaimed debut album with an even better record, but Magdalena Bay have accomplished this in spades.
By blending ethereal poppy hooks with mind-bending, prog-rock chaos, Magdalena Bay has carved out one of the most unique identities for themselves in music today.
Featured image by Alexa MacKie/ The Charlatan.
