Photo: Magdalena Bay via Bandcamp
On August 23, 2024, American alt-pop band Magdalena Bay released their sophomore album, "Imaginal Disk." Described by the duo as a concept album, this collection invites the listener into an alternate universe to follow the story of True. Aliens implant 'imaginal disks' into primates to create consciousness. Unable to properly process the upgrade, True embarks on an intense and personal journey, one that enables her to explore and begin to appreciate what it truly means to be human.
TRACKLIST
She Looked Like Me!
Killing Time
True Blue Interlude
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Death & Romance
Fear, Sex
Vampire in the Corner
Watching T.V.
Tunnel Vision
Love is Everywhere
Feeling DiskInserted?
That's My Floor
Cry for Me
Angel on a Sattelite
The Ballad of Matt & Mica
The duo known as Magdalena Bay consists of Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum. Born in Argentina, Tenenbaum's family immigrated to Miami when she was around a year old, while Lewin was born in Miami. The two met while in high school, participating together in a program offered by Live! Modern School of Music, joining a classic rock cover band. Based in Los Angeles, California, the pair produce and write together, creating three EPs, three mixtapes, and two studio albums. The group credits Chairlift, Charli XCX, and Grimes as featuring among the most significant of their artistic and musical influences.
She Looked Like Me!
The album's opening track begins with sounds that feel reminiscent of a scratched and skipping CD, eventually smoothing out to sharp, clear notes plucked directly from a childhood music box. Percussion joins in, a staccato rhythm that perfectly complements the song's vibe. The music continues to progress and evolve, creating a rich sonic experience for the listener to immerse themselves. The tempo and sounds abruptly shift, becoming distorted and mildly unsettling, almost eerie. 'We stood mirrored 'til I leaned in/And then, you know what she did?/She shot at me like an earthbound bullet/And then she wrapped her hands around my neck.'
Killing Time
Synths create a magical, dreamy sound punctuated by an intense bassline. The production and sound layering both in this song, as well as throughout the album, are beautifully done. In the beginning, Mica's voice is quite striking, sounding innocent while still delivering a commanding performance. The music provides subtle hints at discord simmering just beneath the surface, becoming fully realized when Tenenbaum's vocal delivery dramatically shifts. Ominously chanted lyrics give the feel of one gripped by an indelible paranoia, 'I'm looking in the mirror and swallowing the key/It only takes a minute to forget a week/Count up all the years that we spend asleep/If time is meant for living, why's it killing me?'
True Blue Interlude
Dreamy piano notes evoke the cleansing sensation of water, with chimes sprinkled in for shimmering accents. Paired with the magic of Mica's spoken words, this entry is reminiscent of high-caliber meditation or manifestation tracks. This soothing sonic offering is sure to help the listener restore their sense of calmness and serenity. The lyrics echo this sentiment, 'Say hello, it's you, the purest you/The next stage, the next phase is here (True blue)/Instinctive, impatient, impossible (True blue)/In memory, mirror, and membrane (True blue)/It's here, say hello, it's you (True blue).'
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The album's second song sounds like it was plucked directly from a video game. This funky and imaginative pop song encompasses the warm, vibrant days of summer, with a heavy synth beat weaving a hypnotic pattern. The result is an earworm that unapologetically ensnares the listener. The throbbing, distorted bassline toward the end leads to ominously sinister gaming sound effects, culminating in a jarring and discordant crashing of piano keys. Mica's flawless vocal delivery continues with the lyrics, 'I'm the best you've got/True or not/I've got common sense/I've got all the common sense/Time to let me in/Let's begin (let's begin, let's begin)/There's no heaviness/Just over the precipice.'
Death & Romance
This was the album's first release and the collection's longest track, clocking in at nearly eight minutes. The song quickly envelops the listener with an infectious piano melody, sparkling synth flourishes, and a peppy percussion beat. With so many complicated layers of sound to lose oneself within, the song seemingly passes in the blink of an eye. Nestled within the effervescent music, somber lyrics spin a tale that alternates between hopefully upbeat and tinged with sorrow and regret. 'Monday, through an echo/Feels like heaven/Feels like heartache/You run, streetlights like halos/As the rain falls/Are we too far?'
Fear, Sex
This feels almost airy compared to the previous tracks; it is stripped-down and musically less densely layered than its counterparts. However, this by no means diminishes the duo's effort, creative ingenuity, or attention to detail in creating the song. Lyrics and vocals deliver the palpable emotional punch of yearning for a lost love while navigating its accompanying mental battlefields, 'Please don't die alone, overhead/I'll surrender to the voices in the end/Shoulda known those dirty bastards would put wires in your head/Are you there? All alone, lost in forever.'
Vampire in the Corner
This is another tune that, sonically, feels relatively pared back. Soft vocalizations culminate in the slightest of giggles, and Tenenbaum's delivery feels coy and playful at first. However, as the song progresses, these emotions deepen into reflection, self-pity, and a tinge of desperation. The higher registers as the song reaches its conclusion provide an almost church choir, hymnal feel. 'Sorry, like a flower that never gets any sun/I hang my head down, let the bees do their buzz/Baby, you're my rainy day that's starting to flood/My God, it's only 'cause I love you too much.'
Watching T.V.
This song's smooth, steady flow oozes a mellow vibe, setting the tone as the lyrics implore the listener to tune out unnecessary, outside noise pollution to turn within for self-reflection. A heartfelt invitation is extended to meet our proverbial monsters within, to accept and make peace with these sometimes unpleasant aspects of ourselves. There is a moment that conjures memories of Lady Macbeth, 'If you wanna be clean/You gotta scrub until the blood comes out,' but then takes an abruptly dark turn, 'Get the spots in between/Slip your skin right off and hang it out.'
Tunnel Vision
The record's third single is a psychedelic tune that slowly devolves into the fallout of carefully orchestrated chaos. This song encapsulates the nuclear-level emotional fallout accompanying extremely toxic Joker/Harley-style relationships. It takes the listener along for those intoxicatingly addictive emotional highs, then plunges them into the anxiety-riddled moments of a prolonged panic attack. What was once comforting and nurturing has warped into something painful and destructive. 'I burn/I burn my candle out/I burn my candle out/So nobody else can see/I've learned/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.'
Love is Everywhere
This dreamy, upbeat track would be perfect as the theme song for a TV romcom-drama series. It incorporates rumbling baritones, which contrast pleasantly against the accompanying joyful and blissful vocals. This theme is mirrored in the music, which features a funky bassline paired beautifully with harps and an orchestral arrangement. This feels like True has reached the point in her journey where she's becoming self-aware and learning to love herself despite her imperfections. 'Love, love is everywhere/If, if you want it there/Look inside/Through holes in the sky/The fallen days bring tears to my eyes.'
Feeling DiskInserted?
This interlude, concise and succinct at fifty-eight seconds long, invites the listener to reflect with gratitude on the wisdom, awareness, and unexpected blessings accompanying a self-discovery journey. Gorgeous harp notes sparkle amongst the breathy lyrics, 'Look inside/Through the sky/All around us/Angel on a satellite/Glad you found us.'
That's My Floor
The album's final single features catchy guitar riffs and bubbly synth, resulting in an infectious and groovy offering. It's almost guaranteed that the listener will find themselves vibing along with the beat at some point. This song feels like the acceptance of surrendering to the moment and opening oneself up to new experiences, even though it feels awkward and counterintuitive. 'Took the elevator in a fire/Pressing the alarm just took me higher/Never really noticed you're a sentimental guy/That's my floor/I'm coming up to the party and I want more/So open up for me.'
Cry for Me
Retro and disco-inspired, this track features glittering keys, swelling strings, and dreamy vocals. While largely optimistic and upbeat, the song incorporates darker elements, such as dramatic music and a sinister, menacing laugh. These aspects emphasize the moments of self-doubt and self-criticism that can unexpectedly bubble up when embarking on a journey of healing and discovery. The vocals here are a combination of both wistful and accepting, 'Thinking of you from a road that has no bends/Bound to get lost, but the dogs don't stand a chance/I'll take all your thanks and all your sympathies/Cry for me/Cry for me.'
Angel on a Satellite
This deeply sentimental and touching song was designed by Mica as a tribute to Matt and the band's loyal fans. Elements such as bongo drums, prominent piano, building synth, and sweeping strings pair beautifully with the song's tender vocals. The final result is an authentic and emotionally vulnerable highlight that sets the tone for the album's final track. Beautifully uplifting, the track celebrates acceptance as well as healthier coping mechanisms. 'A thousand eyes/Turn to stone/In monocrhome/Surprise, surprise/They turn to smile/At the same time/That's why I don't look up/That's why I'm always dancing.'
The Ballad of Matt & Mica
Reflective and personal, this track celebrates the transformation, growth, and inner peace earned by emerging triumphant from the skirmishes littering the battlegrounds of life and mental health. Jaunty synth flawlessly accompanies Mica's joyous vocals, fusing together to create a flawless and unapologetically feel-good song. The album's final sonic journal entry mirrors the obstacles that the duo has encountered and overcome along their journey and rise to fame. 'Long way into nowhere/Two years from home/Most days are for nothing/I keep kicking the stone/Fly high overzealous/Past paragon/That's why I'm the greatest/I keep shining the stone.'
"Imaginal Disk" is an ambitious and impressively creative storytelling journey and concept album. Complex and introspective, repeated listens reveal additional nuances and layers, sonically as well as thematically. The dedication to production, artistry, and ingenuity is readily evident, showcasing the duo's continuous need to challenge themselves and push boundaries to grow artistically. The result weaves together a compelling and emotional tale that Magdalena Bay's audience will continue enoying for years.
Written By Vanessa Siebrass
*Copyright not intended. Fair Use Act, Section 107.
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