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Albums Spotlight

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Magdalena Bay, the trailblazing synthpop duo, have remained one of the most exciting acts to follow throughout the 2020s, and their spotless discography continues to shine with the release of their highly anticipated album, Imaginal Disk. This sophomore LP is another successful experiment from Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum as they expand their established sound in a diverse and eclectic manner. This time, they blend their prog rock roots with a dreamy pop landscape, creating a tracklist free of weak links.

While we typically avoid track-by-track album reviews in this newsletter, Imaginal Disk is so brilliant that we're making an exception.

The album opens with “She Looked Like Me!”—a song that starts almost like a lullaby, featuring Tenenbaum’s heavenly vocals over an electronic backdrop. The track’s dynamics and progression oscillate between atmospheric and epically extravagant, perfectly setting the stage for what’s to come.

Next, the band subverts expectations with the relatively subdued “Killing Time.” The song’s bridge introduces a groovy yacht rock beat paired with dissonant modulated vocals, creating a beautifully crafted soundscape that revels in its discordant sonic beauty.

Third on the tracklist, “True Blue Interlude” evokes a sense of nostalgic calm as Tenenbaum delivers spoken word over a hazy, reverb-drenched instrumental destined for Frutiger Aero TikTok.

This interlude transitions seamlessly into the masterful single “Image,” the catchiest track on Imaginal Disk. Tenenbaum’s angelic voice soars above a dream-like synth instrumental that could have easily been lifted from Mercurial World.

As the album continues, “Death & Romance” emerges as the standout—if one had to choose. This 8-minute epic, driven by a buoyant piano melody, blends psychedelic elements with dance-inflected alternative rock.

“Fear, Sex” showcases some of Tenenbaum’s strongest vocal melodies over elegant arpeggiated strings. At just two and a half minutes, it leaves you yearning for more. “Vampire in the Corner” begins delicately and understated before building into a beautiful fusion of distorted guitar and Tenenbaum’s marvelous falsetto.

Midway through the album, “Watching T.V.” serves as a breather, highlighting the soothing end of the band’s impressive dynamic range.

“Tunnel Vision” cleverly incorporates ambient, mechanical noises to enhance the album’s futuristic vibe, ending with a calculated collapse reminiscent of a malfunctioning robot.

The soulful “Love Is Everywhere” stands out with its emphasis on a funky bassline, making it the grooviest track on the LP.

The cheekily titled “Feeling DiskInserted?” features orchestral flourishes and cinematic horns, feeling like the prelude to a prog-pop epic. Like the earlier interlude, it’s so good it deserves to be expanded into a full-length track.

The indie rocker “That’s My Floor” serves as the album’s emotional climax, with a groovy distorted bassline and a chaotic avant-garde guitar solo, reminiscent of Tom Morello and Jack White.

Then comes “Cry For Me,” which leans heavily into the album’s sci-fi aesthetic, sounding like the soundtrack to a video game set in deep space, featuring a disco instrumental filled with lush synths.

“Angel on a Satellite” is the most restrained track on the album, yet it still carries significant power. With its calming, slow piano progression, it begins to wind down the album after a series of anthemic bangers.

Unlike Mercurial World, where the opening and closing tracks seamlessly transitioned into one another to create a continuous loop, Imaginal Disk ends with an unresolved crescendo on “The Ballad of Matt & Mica,” leaving listeners hanging on every note, craving more. This cliffhanger defies easy closure, compelling us to hit repeat. It leaves us eagerly awaiting the duo’s next adventure, desperate for another dose of their distinctive sound.

Until then, Imaginal Disk will keep us spinning in its orbit.—Ethan Lambert