Imaginal Disk: A Journey to find the ‘Ideal’ Self written by Owen Ashbeck

A review of Magdalena Bay’s latest album.

Album: Imaginal Disk

Artist: Magdalena Bay

Genre: #Synth-pop #Neo-Psychedelia

Sub-Genres: #la pop

Label: Mom + Pop Music

Release Date: August 23th, 2024

Runtime: 53:36

Non-Airable Tracks: None.

Sounds Like: Charli-xcx, FKA Twigs

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Background: When I first listened to this album, it was Winter Break of 2024. I was at my parents house, lying on their couch and chilling. And somewhere halfway through, I swear to god, my soul rose out of my chest and went on a little journey through some alternate plane of existence before coming back to my empty body. And when it came back, some sort of alien earworm or parasite came back with it and infected me with an obsession with this album. Or maybe it awakened the imaginal disk that lay dormant inside of my brain, yet that had been there all along. Whatever the case, Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin of Magdalena Bay ‘blue’ me away with this album and I still have to come back and listen to it 3 months later. I was able to get tickets to their upcoming show at the Rialto and I am extremely excited, especially since the concert is the day after finals are over.

Description: This album has 15 tracks, two of which are interludes (True Blue Interlude and Feeling DiskInserted?). My favorites to listen to include the four singles from the album (Image, Death & Romance, Tunnel Vision, and That’s My Floor) as well as Killing Time and Cry for Me. The first song, She Looked Like Me!, is a song about family history and introduces the concepts of self-identity and the ‘ideal’ self present throughout the album. Interestingly, the final track, The Ballad of Matt & Mica, acts almost as a reprise of the first track yet the feel and tempo have changed, possibly signifying both a cycle but also a change in this cycle. Killing Time is a groovy song that influenced me to check out Steely Dan, now one of my favorite bands and the band that inspired this song. There are so many more little transitions, motifs, influences, and easter eggs that just inspires and uplifts me every day. 

Final Thoughts: Imaginal Disk is an amazing album by Magdalena Bay and is definitely one of the best albums of 2024. I am grateful that I got to experience this album and the journey it took me on.

Recommended to: For those of you who already love synth-pop or pop music in general, it is definitely a must listen. As for those of you who don’t? Maybe give it a listen anyways. I listened to mainly a lot of hard rock and metal before hearing Imaginal Disk which is definitely pretty different. It is a brilliant album and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Reviewers name: Owen Ashbeck

Date of Review: 3/20/2025