"Image" is a song by American duo Magdalena Bay from their second album, Imaginal Disk (2024). It was released through Mom + Pop Music on July 10, 2024, as the album's second single. Both members of the band, Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum, wrote and produced the song. It is a disco track with bass guitar. A music video for "Image", directed by Amanda Kramer, premiered alongside the song.
| "Image" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Magdalena Bay | ||||
| from the album Imaginal Disk | ||||
| Released | July 10, 2024 | |||
| Genre | Disco | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Mom + Pop | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Magdalena Bay | |||
| Magdalena Bay singles chronology | ||||
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| Grimes singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Image" on YouTube | ||||
Music critics received "Image" positively, noting similarities between the Tenenbaum's vocal affectations and Canadian musician Grimes, who was cited by Magdalena Bay as an inspiration for their early work. A remix version with Grimes was released on October 29, 2024. Magdalena Bay performed "Image" at their late-night show debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the following day.
Release
editFollowing the release of the single "Death & Romance", Magdalena Bay announced their second album Imaginal Disk and released its second single, "Image", through the Mom + Pop Music record label.[1] In a statement regarding the track, the duo shared: "Close your eyes. Imagine a brand new, better you. Now wait 22 minutes. Now open your eyes. Meet your brand new image! Isn't it amazing that the meat in our heads can do this?".[1] On October 29, 2024, they shared a remix to "Image" with Canadian musician Grimes,[2] who inspired the beginnings of the band members' musical career.[3]
Composition and reception
edit"Image" was written and produced by both members of Magdalena Bay, Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin. A disco track,[4][5] it contains a 4/4 kick drum[5] and haunted vocals from Tenenbaum.[1] Eric Bennett from Paste noted similarities with the vocal affectations of Grimes.[3] Flood Magazine's Will Schube stated that it sounds "like [it] emanated from an alien spaceship", and the bass and snare slaps "give the chorus a biting edge".[1] Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Matthew Kim opined that, as in other songs on Imaginal Disk, the instrumentals match the lyricism vibe, praising the "crunchiness" of the final chorus of the track.[6] Magazine Under the Radar named "Image" the best song of its release week.[7] In a review for Stereogum, critic Abby Jones described the track as both futuristic and nostalgic, beginning "as a mellower, vaporwave-meets-pop diva jam, until a delightfully blown-out bass crashes into the final chorus".[8] Evan Sawdey for Spin said that the song "showed the group still could make spacey bangers if they wanted to".[9]
Music video
editAmanda Kramer directed the music video for "Image".[1] It is a continuation of the video to "Death & Romance", which found True, a character played by Tenenbaum, getting an "imaginal disk" upgrade inserted into her forehead.[7] The "Image" video "goes back in time to the waiting room where True stood by for her first fitting".[10] Glitter Magazine's Lily Hart said that it "is a perfect example of the group's unique aesthetics".[11]
Live performances
editMagdalena Bay performed "Image" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 30, 2024, marking their late-night show debut.[12] The band transferred the "mystical imagery" from the music video to the stage,[13] with Tenenbaum wearing the same outfit and singing in front of a mirror-like video screen from their live concerts.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Schube, Will (July 10, 2024). "Magdalena Bay Detail New LP Imaginal Disk, Imagine a Brand New Magdalena Bay on New Track "Image"". Flood Magazine. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Tyler Damara (October 29, 2024). "Magdalena Bay unveil Grimes remix of their track, "Image"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Bennett, Eric (August 23, 2024). "Magdalena Bay Stretch Out on Imaginal Disk". Paste. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Otis (August 21, 2024). "Magdalena Bay – 'Imaginal Disk' review: a time capsule of post-internet existentialism". NME. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Seip, Nick (August 19, 2024). "Magdalena Bay 'Imaginal Disk' Review: Everything Everywhere All at Once". Slant. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Kim, Matthew (August 22, 2024). "Imaginal Disk is Magdalena Bay discovering their sci-fi synthpop niche". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Redfern, Mark (August 23, 2024). "15 Best Songs of the Week: Magdalena Bay, Cassandra Jenkins, King Gizzard, Nilüfer Yanya, and More". Under the Radar. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Jones, Abby (July 10, 2024). "Magdalena Bay – "Image"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Sawdey, Evan (August 26, 2024). "Let the Bees Do Their Buzz: Spinning the 'Imaginal Disk' With Magdalena Bay". Spin. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Tyler Damara (July 11, 2024). "Magdalena Bay announce their second album, Imaginal Disk". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Hart, Lily (July 15, 2024). "Pop Duo Magdalena Bay to Release New Album Imaginal Disk". Glitter Magazine. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (October 31, 2024). "Watch Magdalena Bay Make Their Ultra-Trippy TV Debut, Performing "Image" On Kimmel". Stereogum. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (October 31, 2024). "Watch Magdalena Bay Perform 'Image' on 'Kimmel'". Our Culture. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Redfern, Mark (October 31, 2024). "Watch Magdalena Bay Make Their Late Night TV Debut Performing "Image" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"". Under the Radar. Retrieved October 31, 2024.