‘Imaginal Disk’ is a noteworthy and hype-worthy concept album
Electronic pop duo Magdalena Bay’s second full album is named after the imaginal disc, part of an insect larva’s anatomy that starts inside its body but goes on to form an external structure later in life.
Accordingly, in “Imaginal Disk,” the titular object is a key component in the album’s exploration of metamorphosis, identity and the essence of humanity. I knew vaguely that this record was a concept album before listening, but once I had heard it a few times, I still struggled to see all of the professed storyline.
Put as briefly as possible, without including some of the worldbuilding, the narrator “True” receives an update to her consciousness via a disk but her body rejects it, prompting a journey of self-discovery. After paying the lyrics their due attention, I still do not think that “Imaginal Disk” defines its narrative as clearly as I would expect from a concept album, especially one with such a specific idea behind it. However, nearly everything comes together to accomplish what I understand to be a primary goal of concept albums in general: the establishment of a starting point from which listeners can build their own plots and emotional connections.
Being successful as a concept album is far from “Imaginal Disk’s” only achievement, though. It expands upon the eclectic but incredibly accessible pop of Magdalena Bay’s two most recent releases (“Mercurial World” in 2021 and “mini mix vol. 3” in 2023), branching out into rock instrumentation more than ever while still retaining their varied electronic sound. “She Looked Like Me!” kicks off the album strong with hard-hitting bass drums, nearly-dissonant horns and chopped vocal samples that are reminiscent of some of yeule’s recent work. “Killing Time,” somewhat jarringly swerves into a nostalgic yacht rock sound. I would argue that “True Blue Interlude” and “Watching T.V.” use aesthetics from the vapor subgenre of utopian virtual; “Love Is Everywhere” and “Cry for Me,” on the other hand, are ‘80s disco sonically recontextualized for the 2020s. No matter its influences, nearly every song on the tracklist is — as is characteristic for Magdalena Bay — extremely catchy with a bright sound palette and engaging songwriting.
Nowhere are the duo’s songwriting and production more intertwined and straightforwardly appealing than in “Image.” It is the most repetitive song on the album, but it consistently introduces new elements in such a way that its repetition can pass relatively unnoticed while still functioning as an earworm. The lyrics in “Image” are some of the best on “Imaginal Disk” when it comes to presenting their sci-fi concept, too. Upbeat catchiness belies a song about being technologically modified to reflect a mysterious creator; the track ends with a sound similar to doors slamming far away, like the narrator is being locked in a room to undergo her cyber-metamorphosis.
In a similar vein, “Tunnel Vision” — my favorite song on “Imaginal Disk,” and certainly one of the best songs of 2024 — continues the metamorphic trajectory that seems to start in “Image,” even though there are four tracks dividing the two. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of someone who is at least half machine — maybe an artificial intelligence, maybe a robot or a cyborg — yet still manages to fall into the human behavior of overthinking, hyperfocusing on negativity and attempting to redirect that attention more realistically. “Tunnel Vision” wavers between and mixes ominous, self-assured and uncertain moods in its five-minute duration, giving each one a cinematic atmosphere.
While I think that “Imaginal Disk” is a noteworthy album and that it deserves all of the hype it has been receiving, I do consider there to be a couple of minor drawbacks. “Fear, Sex” could have gone on longer but instead, a somewhat abrupt synth outro renders it a wartime hologram message cut short. I can understand some of why Matthew and Mica chose to do this, especially when I rely on my aforementioned interpretation of its place in the narrative, but I still wish it did not feel like an interlude. The second and final problem that easily comes to mind is the album cover, which strikes me as flat and out-of-time in a way that does not appeal to me. However, as I said, these are only small issues. As a whole, “Imaginal Disk” is an immersive journey through vibrant, modern alt-pop and it deserves its treatment in indie pop circles as one of the best albums 2024 has had to offer.
