The creative pop duo Magdalena Bay released their second full studio album, Imaginal Disk, on August 23rd, 2024. Compared to their first album, Mercurial World, Imaginal Disk takes a less romantic, more surrealist approach to pop music. It’s an album that takes you on a journey of self-exploration and introspection and it’s sticking with listeners just as much as MagBay’s previous works. So, what inspired Imaginal Disk? Let’s dive in and explore this spacey, reflective work of art.
The People Behind the Music
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Magdalena Bay is comprised of Florida natives Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin. They started working together in a high school program that saw them both in the same classic rock cover band. Soon after, they began work with a new progressive rock band under the name Tabula Rasa. When that band broke up in 2016, Magdalena Bay was formed. The duo were both attending college at the time, with Mica in Pennsylvania and Matt in Massachusetts, but this didn’t stop them from working remotely. In 2019, MagBay released their first two EPs, Day/Pop and Night/Pop. Within the same year, they signed with indie record label, Luminelle Recordings.
With influences like Charli XCX, Grimes, and Chairlift, Magdalena Bay has created a surreal style all their own, and they aren’t afraid to show it. After releasing two mixtapes and another EP, MagBay would put out their first studio album in October of 2021. Mercurial World was a catchy romantic exploration of secrets with an overall 80s feel to it; the album was extremely well-received by fans. Magdalena Bay performed at both Second Sky Fest 2022 and Coachella in 2023, garnering even more listeners and growing their already rapidly expanding fanbase.
Let’s Talk About Imaginal Disk
The album is hard to describe, but that only makes it more charming. The best way to convey the feeling of Imaginal Disk is to imagine if Frutiger Aero was a sound. Imaginal Disk manages to somehow remain modern while stacking on a heaping spoonful of nostalgia. This album embodies the current generation’s fixation with Y2K culture of the early 2000s. It’s in the music. It’s in the artwork. It’s big, bold, synth-y, and shiny.
Compared to Mercurial World, Imaginal Disk leans more into Magdalena Bay’s experimental side. The album has been described as “prog-pop”, a genre that morphs pop music to color outside the lines. MagBay doesn’t follow the typical A-B-A-B verse format of modern pop. They sort of just do whatever they want, and that’s what makes them so cool. The theme of self-reflection is prominent across the album, with the band citing the 1972 film Solaris as one of their many inspirations. Mica specifically was interested in the original book and film at the time, exploring her interpretation of them artfully through song.
The Takeaway: Hear It For Yourself
Imaginal Disk contains an impressive 15 thoughtfully crafted songs that are genuinely some of Magdalena Bay’s best work yet. The entire album is available now to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and more. The album is also available for purchase on vinyl and CD on the band’s Bandcamp page. You’ve been warned, though: it’s selling out fast. So, go give this awesome duo a listen and enjoy the vibes.
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