The hyperpop genre, stylized by its drum kits, pitch shifts and an overall exaggeration of pop music recently hit new heights thanks to British artist Charli XCX and her album “Brat”. The trend “Brat summer” became a phenomenon, but just as the seasons are changing, so must the music. To take its throne as the best hyperpop album of 2024 comes “Imaginal Disk” by Magdalena Bay.
“Imaginal Disk” is the second studio album by the alt-pop band Magdalena Bay, consisting of Florida-native duo Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin. They originally found fame when their song “Killshot” blew up on TikTok, where they also gained a following by posting videos discussing the music industry and their experiences producing music. With this album, the duo uses their experience producing electronic dance music, or EDM, and synth beats while still ensuring that their melodic voice shines through.
One of the album’s central themes is metamorphosis and transformation. This is seen on the album cover, where a CD is being inserted into Tenenbaum’s forehead, symbolizing the music changing her.
One of the early singles from the album, “Image,” focuses on the idea of someone’s image being altered, with lines like “Make me in your image” and “Through a two way mirror.” This sentiment is carried along in the album’s penultimate song, “The Ballad of Matt and Mica,” with lines like “Open heart, old cliche / Two kids in a new town, baby / Is it my turn? / Small time fame,” which refer to the idea of growing up and changing.
The production of the record also follows this theme, as each song has a very different second half. The album’s opening song “She Looked Like Me” starts slow and sultry, almost sung like a lullaby. As it progresses, more synth-pop elements, like a repeating drum beat and instrument shift, are added until the song is nearly unrecognizable from its opening. This shift is done so masterfully that it does not feel abrupt but instead that the music is soaring in a very different direction.
While each song uses the same “two-songs-in-one” trick, no two songs are similar. If looking for a slower beat that morphs into rock, “Killing Time” is perfect. For a steady bassline that transitions into a hardcore pop-punk style trip, “Image” has you covered. For a sticky hook that escalates into a super catchy synth beat, “Love is Everywhere” is wonderful. For heavier bass and rock themes, “That’s My Floor” is right there. With 13 songs and two interludes, every other musical crevice is covered.
Even from a critic’s standpoint, “Imaginal Disc” is a hit in every sense of the term. Thanks to catchy choruses, dazzling melodies and stellar production on each song, this record is sure to entrance the ear of even the most unfamiliar listeners.
More information on the band and their music can be found on their Youtube and Instagram.
