Entering the world of Magdalena Bay is an electronic synth-pop experience that feels like no other. The duo, consisting of Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin, has developed an eclectic style unlike any other. Their music is reminiscent of an infinite time loop of fluorescent sonics. What started as a high school project has turned out to be a successful venture into musical discoveries and speedy evolution for the two. Magdalena Bay started out as a progressive rock pursuit of music, but has since transformed into an otherworldly, pop-focused oasis. Tenenbaum and Lewin had to transition from layering technical aspects of progressive rock to mastering computerized sounds for the rapid growth of the young project. Now, with a refined sound and a debut album, ‘Mercurial World’, out, the duo is catching the attention of music lovers all over the internet. The realm created by Magdalena Bay’s music is a fantastical take on existential crisis and hedonism, sprinkled with wrinkles in time. For instance, the first track of ‘Mercurial World’ is called ‘The End’. The last one is called (you guessed it!) ‘The Beginning.’ This is just one example of how the duo creates their own definitions of reality within their art, combining their escapist sound with colorful visuals and relativistic lyricism. Looking at Magdalena Bay’s timeline, it looks like the transition from rock to pop has been more than successful for the duo. Not only have they become experts in the genre, but they also created their own space in it. “When you get into electronic music and pop music, your palette expands infinitely,” Lewin exclaims, “where anything could be anything.”
Magdalena Bay spoke to B-Sides about their debut album ‘Mercurial World’, how they transitioned from making progressive rock in their earlier band to pop music, and comparing its complexities.
