Magdalena Bay to Deliver the Sound of Modern Pop at Pohoda
Imagine Britney, the Spice Girls, No Doubt, and Madonna thrown into a blender with Grimes and Charli XCX. What you get are catchy, mesmerising tracks with a touch of 90s nostalgia, modern production, and surprisingly experimental twists. That’s the sound of Magdalena Bay, a synth-pop duo from Los Angeles.
16. December 2024
Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin first met as teenagers in their hometown of Miami through a school music programme. The chemistry between them was instant, both personally and musically. It wasn’t long before they became one of the most beloved duos in the realm of alternative pop.
The name of the band, under which they released their debut album Mercurial World, is derived from the name of a supervisor at Lewin's former job, Maggie Bay. Magdalena Bay have a distinctive visual style that borders on kitsch, but it works brilliantly. Their DIY-inspired music videos feature dazzling, eye-popping colours, Windows 98-style effects, quirky edits, and green-screen antics. Add in eccentric costumes and dance moves, and their videos and performances take on an additional layer of artistry.
This August, the duo released their second studio album, Imaginal Disk. As inspiration for writing the songs, the duo cited The Beatles, as well as Star Trek, the works of Jean-Paul Sartre, and the psychoanalysis theories of Jacques Lacan.
Unlike their debut, which leaned heavily into contemporary pop, the pair deliberately avoided it while working on this album. They incorporated acoustic drums and live instruments, which lend a warm, organic quality to the songs, with the layers of sound holding together more cohesively. They admit they were less bound by strict pop conventions, opting instead to experiment with composition and follow their creative instincts. The result is a collection of 15 tracks of captivating and intelligent songwriting.
“Imaginal Disk is the alt-pop album of the year! So, all you 90s kids – get yourselves down to the stage. And don’t forget your windbreakers, fringes, and Discman players!” says Majo Tesák from the festival Pohoda’s team, inviting fans to their Pohoda performance.