Audio File: Insert Magdalena Bay’s “Imaginal Disk”
Written by Anna Porter. Graphic by Anna Porter.
Art-pop duo Magdalena Bay released their sophomore album, “Imaginal Disk,” in late August. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a month and a half since its’ release because I’ve been listening to it repeatedly, and it has only continued to get better. This album was the first of Magdalena Bay’s music that I was introduced to, and amongst fans and new listeners alike, “Imaginal Disk” has received objectively great reviews.
The album is an excellent example of storytelling, where the duo Matt and Mica set up a sci-fi-like world and guide the listener through a narrative about the search for identity and reaching one’s best state of self. The chronology of this album is so important that even I, an album shuffler, have continued to listen to it in order.
Before transporting you into the world of the “imaginal disk,” Matt and Mica set up the scene in the real world, telling the story of their ancestry in the song “She Looked Like Me!” The duo both have families that migrated from Nazi-occupied Germany to Argentina, where they lived until finally moving to the United States. The song begins with the sound of a disk clicking and the lyrics, “Down the line, over the waves // two kids and a military.” It closes out with a verse that includes the lyrics, “America stole my fate, la love and a baby carriage,” where the story shifts to the perspective of the writer.
As the album progresses, the main character, most likely Mica, begins to dream of a higher self. A mysterious character inserts the “imaginal disk” into Mica’s forehead, which can be seen on the album cover. Mica then lives life as this idealized self but realizes that the world still has faults and that life is never perfect. Technology (such as the imaginal disk) can be good, but it can also be bad, as explained in the song “Watching TV,” where Mica sings, “It’s time to meet the monsters around you.” Additionally, the “Angel on a Satellite” is a reference to the internet, with the lyrics, “A thousand eyes turn to stone in monochrome.” Eventually, Mica returns to the real world, where she reflects on the impact of the imaginal disk that was inserted into her.
Despite the developments in content throughout the story, the overall cohesivity of sound stays consistent. Each song is extremely catchy and can stand alone as a single or as a part of a playlist, but the theme is still woven through the artfully produced and experimental sound. I especially love the melodic theme that appears throughout the album, which is placed to different lyrics throughout many songs. It first shows up in the intro, with the lyrics, “bang bang and its customary,” and reappears when the “angel on a satellite” theme begins in the interlude, “Feeling Diskinserted?” I love it when albums have a melodic theme like this because you first hear the melody and think, “Oh, that’s catchy,” and find that you keep getting to listen to it throughout a lot of the other songs. It reminds me of the famous application of this production style in The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album with the songs “You Never Give Me Your Money” and “The End.”
“The Ballad of Matt and Mica” (a Beatles reference as well) closes out the album in an upbeat way that sounds like a celebration of what they’ve learned in this journey. They sing, “Two kids in a new town baby // is it my turn, small-town fame?” And small-town fame it is. The duo is currently on tour, and as they gain more recognition through this album, I’m looking forward to seeing what they create next. Will it be a part two of this world, or will it be a standalone piece? Will they continue to create cohesive projects like this, or will they branch out to a more experimental technique? Either way, I’m officially invested in their music and in the world of “Imaginal Disk.” I truly believe Magdalena Bay have created an album that is going to stand the test of time because of its strong production and meaningful themes that create an impactful story.
A full-time Graphic Design major/ Advertising & Branding minor and part-time music enthusiast, Anna Porter brings her love of art and design to SCAD District as the Creative Director. Anna leads the creative team in all things visual, from website design to publication design. Her writings can be found in the “Audio File,” District’s weekly music review column where Anna provides music updates and recommendations. If Anna is not designing or listening to music (rare,) you will probably find her in the other room making a cup of tea.
