Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk Review

We are nostalgic for the slower days because they have been stripped from us and replaced with something far worse. Little flickers of what we did not even think of, like putting a disc in the player or the whirr of an early morning start are now glittering memories for the ground-down mind. Imaginal Disk does well to light a fire under this love of the ordinary and how we now transfer those emotions onto the musical stars of the here and now. Parasocial relationships for some are a way to avoid the lack of real-world responsibilities or efforts. Magdalena Bay gets to grips with this on their second record, a stunning showcase which truly does live up to the hype and potential already hurled at it. Lush instrumentals which linger on the turn of the century and adapt to modern styles are the real heart of Imaginal Disk.  

Those breezy but assuring tones can be heard on Killing Time, where the instrumental roar is underneath a bed of sharp electronics and whirring noise. Magdalena Bay has a reliance on those flutters of spaced-out sounds and paired with a heavy, often roaring guitar structure, every track is a winner. Layer after layer of instrumental finesse could lead Imaginal Disk to places of overstretched fury, where the fine line between our emotional commitments to the slight flickers of nostalgia and the inevitability of a “next stage,” as mentioned in True Blue Interlude, is overwhelmed. But no, the adaptation of a larvae stasis makes for a heartbreaking and frequently rewarding listen where the riskier instrumental connections are the high points. We are nothing but larvae, and this view of the world, burrowing into what we love and remaining there until forced out, is a charming and realistic message. 

Perception is key for Imaginal Disk. How we perceive ourselves and the images we borrow from, consciously or subconsciously, to appeal to more people or reveal less about ourselves and instead shift the focus to our influences, is the key theme. Image gets to grips with this well and yet for all the light embraces of instrumental finesse heard on Imaginal Disk, there is a reality within it, a plummeting drop where we realise influences are just this. We cannot be what we chase and much of Imaginal Disk is an imagining of this relationship between audience and artist. Beyond that, it is filled with slick bass lines, intimate angles from Death & Romance and a consideration of the give and take between listener and performer. Where do we draw the line in this strange relationship? 

A self-dramatization helps empower Imaginal Disk in its more repetitive, instrumentally open moments. They are necessary because they allow for contemplation above anything. Take a long look at yourself. Untangle the influences and feel for the higher plain presented on Imaginal Disk with important pieces like Fear, Sex or Watching T.V. The imagery is as dark as can be but the sound around it is a light and liberating set of risk-taking moments. Imaginal Disk is a stunning showcase of the disassociation found in relationships made through a screen, with a person not reciprocating contact. Its emotional highs and clarity, the openness with which it works, is found in the tremendous writing and bold instrumental choices. Artists must risk as an audience does, but for Magdalena Bay, the results are astounding.