Magdalena Bay – ‘Imaginal Disk’ album review: a cinematic pop tour de force
THE SKINNY: The duo behind Magdalena Bay are a match made in heaven. Built of vocalist Mica Tenenbaum and producer Matthew Lewin, the pair met in high school and have revolved around each other ever since in life, love and music. On Imaginal Disk, the glory of their unity is celebrated with each and every track as they hold hands tight and wander the whole terrain of what the word ‘pop’ could mean.
First, there’s the realm of dream pop. With Tenenbaum’s angelic vocals being absolutely made for the form, Lewin’s production builds incredible and intricate worlds for it to exist in. Some are bright and shimmering, like the alt-disco edge of ‘Killing Time’ and ‘Cry For Me’. Others feel moody and cinematic like the Air-esque blue-toned ‘Watching T.V’, which would be well-placed in a Sofia Coppola flick, while ‘Fear, Sex’ is bright red and Lynchian.
But then, often, the tinted sheen of cinema screens gives way to an all-out pop polish. So many of these songs would sound great, pounding out of club sound systems while bodies sway and are filled with romanticised confidence. At the album’s most euphoric moments, it glitters with youth and energy and the butterfly feeling you get when life feels like a montage of perfect memories.
Yet, still, they manage shade and texture. From the brightest mountains of bubblegum pop, they also wander into heavier indie territories on tracks like ‘Vampire In The Corner’ and ‘That’s My Floor’. They prove that songs don’t need to delve into gloom to have contrast and intrigue. Instead, their intricately layered instrumental details and unexpected add-ins, like orchestral moments, make the record 3D and multi-faceted.
You know an album is good when even the interludes beg for a replay. As if proof of their tight creative partnership and near life-long understanding of each other’s influences, interests and inner worlds, Imaginal Disk feels like a perfect product of Magdalena Bay’s relationship, where that closeness allows them to manage fun, experimentation, outright joy and deeper intrigue in a careful balance.
For fans of: Feeling like Lux Lisbon and treating your life like a Sofia Coppola movie.
A concluding comment from a psychologist: “This is what we call textbook blue-sky thinking.”
Imaginal Disk track by track
Release date: August 23rd | Producers: Magdalena Bay | Label: Mom + Pop
‘She Looked Like Me!’: “Hello”, the band begin as they open up the twinkling dream pop world of their second album. From the delicate angelic vocals to the boisterous drum thuds, it’s a perfectly layered worldbuilder that thunders to a huge climax. [3.5/5]
‘Killing Time’: Things slide into a soft groove on this nostalgic disco-infused track. It’s impossible not to at least tap your toes here, as the underpinning beat is so insanely catchy. [4/5]
‘True Blue Interlude’: The album’s first intermission manages to avoid what so many records fall victim to. This doesn’t feel like filler but instead smoothes out and polishes the album as a bridge between its more hazy, dreamy sounds and heavier elements. These little breaks make it all the more engaging for a start-to-finish listen. [3/5]
‘Image’: A track that would sound great anywhere: a club, on a run, in your headphones to add some confidence to your step or from a loudspeaker at pre-drinks. It is so versatile in its energy that it’s a sign of something great. [4/5]
‘Death & Romance’: The duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin truly are a match made in hypey dream pop heaven. Tenenbaum’s voice would be gorgeous on its own as a delicate little sound, but with Lewin’s instrumental levelling up, it becomes like a whole choir of rave-ready angels. [3.5/5]
‘Fear, Sex’: The textures of this record are so expertly curated to keep ears pricked with newness while maintaining a unified sheer. The synth flairs feel almost Lynchian with cinematic energy, while the harp-like details here contrast beautifully with the electro edge. [3.5/5]
‘Vampire In The Corner’: A switch-up comes in the form of this more stripped-back track, giving Tenenbaum’s uniquely stunning vocals a simple spotlight. It’s the kind of voice you’d hear in a movie, so full of character. Then, when Lewin’s hand comes back in, there’s an almost LCD Soundsystem-like edge to it. [3/5]
‘Watching T.V’: The cinematic moodiness continues into this track. It would be a perfect soundtrack to some Sofia Coppola car scene as it has a kind of new wave energy to it, like a modernised take on Air’s signature sound. [3/5]
‘Tunnel Vision’: A slow build of layered vocals and glitchy electro details barrels towards a sun-coming-out moment in the song’s shimmering climax. [2.5/5]
‘Love Is Everywhere’: The disco energy of ‘Killing Time’ makes a comeback. Perfect to soundtrack a moment of Saturday night fever if you like your party atmosphere to have an alternative edge. [3/5]
‘Feeling DiskInserted?’: Perhaps a play on the word “disconcerted”, this piece returns to the cinematic moodiness of prior tracks but with an elevated orchestral sheen that is nothing short of stunning for the brief one-minute run time. [4/5]
‘That’s My Floor’: Traversing the full terrain of alternative music, this offering wanders into the indie rock landscape as if Grimes linked up with Beabadoobee. [4/5]
‘Cry For Me’: There’s something quite Kylie Minogue-esque to this track in the way that it feels like a perfect slice of disco pop. With the band’s classic alternative edge, they approach pure joy in a way that’s so fun. [3.5/5]
‘Angel On A Satellite’: Another gorgeous moment for Tenenbaum’s vocals to shine while Lewin builds a perfect nest around them that’s full of unique details and intricate layering. [4/5]
‘The Ballad Of Matt & Mica’: The album ends with an ode to each other. After meeting in high school and dating while building the band’s name, Tenenbaum and Lewin are a powerful combo in life and music, it seems, as they celebrate their partnership in this euphoric ending. [4/5]
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