The unconventional tunes that define the Magdalena Bay experience shine through in their sophomore album, Imaginal Disk.
The synth-pop duo commit to an air of mystery in their music. The songs almost feel fuzzy, not sharp or harsh, due to the soft
vocals of the lead singer and the distorted sounds of instruments you can’t pin down. I tend to feel daydreamy and curious after listening to their songs.
I look up lyrics on the first listen of a song. It’s my favorite part about a song, the arteries of the heart. I thought the lyrics on
this album were compelling and existential. To me, good lyrics should feel like a puzzle. I like piecing together the story the artist aims to tell.
Imaginal Disk tells the story of melodrama, nostalgia and introspection in a worthwhile puzzle of vivid imagery and striking
sounds.
“True Blue Interlude” feels confessional. The crisp narration is overlaid atop their typical dreamy-sounding instrumentals. “Ten years or ten minutes ago, reflected in my eyes or floating behind yours” Mica, the lead singer, narrates. “Instinctive, impatient, impossible/ in memory, mirror, and membrane.”
My favorite song on the album is “Vampire in the Corner.” The opening lines of “Vampire in the corner / Am I scaring you
off? Oh I wanna dance, I wanna learn how to love” are relevant to the loneliness of being caught between wanting to be a part of things while lacking the capacity to do so.
I’m a big fan of media like this album that try to figure out the intricacies of what makes up our actions, motivations and identities.
For example, “Killing Time” uses the imagery of mirrors to explore self-image and the search for meaning.
“I’m looking in the mirror and swallowing the key / It only takes a minute to forget a week.” The words are mixed with distorted sounds of noise, creating the feeling of being set adrift.
“I think the whole record is driven by, I dunno, this exploration of self, of really wanting to understand what is inside me,” said Mica Tenenbaum, the lead singer of Magdalena Bay. “What is it? Can I know it? Can I understand it? And all the questions that come from that question. It leads to endless questions and then more questions, and then that kind of inspires the lyrics, I guess.”
I appreciated this album. I was drawn in by the expansive lyrical themes and the unique feelings instilled in me by their ethereal, sweet, maybe bitter yet consistently enjoyable instrumentals. It resonated enough to add it to my CD collection and look up concert tickets.
Imaginal Disk continues to mark Magdalena Bay’s contribution to the alternative genre as something worth looking out for.
