Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum have been writing and producing songs under the name Magdalena Bay for a few years now. They’ve been praised for their inventive production and eye-grabbing diy-esque visuals within their green screen-filled music videos. They’ve been consistently dropping projects every year since 2019, but “Imaginal Disk” is only their second full-length album. “Imaginal Disk” is as synth-pop as synth-pop gets, almost sounding like it’s from the future at points. 

The third song, “Image,” is an absolute blast. Constant, punchy percussion, colorful shimmering noises and Tenenbaum’s flawless voice make this one of the more memorable tracks, especially in the second half when heavy bass and prickly synths are layered in.

“Vampire in the Corner” combines Tenenbaum’s flexible vocals with crisp drums, fuzzy synths and subdued piano chords, allowing the song to go from somewhat somber to absurdly catchy in seconds. Out of all the songs on the album, this is the one that I haven’t been able to get out of my head the most.

The final track, “The Ballad of Matt & Mica,” might be the best song on the album. You’re eased into a false sense of security with Tenenbaum’s smooth vocals, calm chimes and restrained synths. It sounds like it’ll be another smooth pop jam until the second verse begins and Tenenbaum is cut off at the end of each line with aggressive, almost evil-sounding synths. It’s a wonderful surprise, but it doesn’t stop there as soon after the song transforms into an absurdly lush and catchy banger that feels like a perfect summertime song.

“Imaginal Disk” is easily one of the most lively albums to come out of 2024, not just within the pop genre. If you like pop music (and even if you don’t), you should check this out, though you probably won’t be able to get most songs out of your head for a while afterward.