Voidfaller’s review of the albumImaginal Disk

A mix between David Bowie, prog rock and ABBA, coated in Magdalena Bay's own art pop / synth pop sound. Imaginal Disk feels like an arthouse sci-fi film, and I mean that in the best way possible. The synth production is genius, the mixing is incredible, and the songwriting is electric. Magdalena Bay have always been good at writing hooks, but this feels like the culmination of years of perfecting their craft. Every track is ridiculously consistent, with “Death & Romance”, “Tunnel Vision” and “Vampire in the Corner” being particular highlights. The production can get completely wild, but it always serves the emotional core of the song rather than distracting from it. The album's sequencing is fantastic, too. The tracks blend together beautifully, making this an album that really deserves to be listened to front to back. Despite its futuristic, almost alien sound, the songs remain accessible and open enough to make your own. “Angel on a Satellite” is a great example of the album's diversity, grounding its sound in more traditional instrumentation without feeling out of place. Honestly, I struggle to find anything to criticise. Every song feels meticulously crafted, and the consistency is almost absurd. Still, I can't quite give it a perfect score. Maybe it simply hasn't stood the test of time for me yet. I listen to it a lot, but it hasn't quite reached the personal significance of some of my all-time favourites. Regardless, Imaginal Disk is an incredible pop record. Maybe it'll get that extra half-star someday.