Los Angeles-based synthpop innovators Magdalena Bay have dropped two brand new songs, Human Happens and Paint Me A Picture, continuing a prolific run that cements their reputation as one of the most forward-thinking acts in modern alternative pop.
The new tracks arrive just weeks after the duo unveiled Second Sleep and Star Eyes, both billed as a “spiritual successor” to their 2024 album Imaginal Disk. The pair, Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, describe this latest release as “another pair of songs that complement each other, different than the last, different than the next.”
Magdalena Bay formed in 2016 when Tenenbaum and Lewin reconnected after high school, having first met as teens at a Miami after-school music program. The two initially played in a prog rock outfit called Tabula Rasa before shifting toward electronic pop, inspired by acts like Grimes, Chairlift and Charli XCX. Their DIY approach – a mix of lo-fi visuals, retro internet aesthetics and experimental songwriting – quickly caught attention online, particularly through their witty and self-produced TikTok content.
Their 2021 debut album Mercurial World was a breakthrough moment, combining sleek pop hooks with dreamlike production and a conceptual edge. It landed them at major festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Primavera Sound, while also leading to tour slots with Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek and Flume.
In 2024, the pair released Imaginal Disk, a critically adored follow-up that dominated “Best of the Year” lists in publications such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Vulture and Paste, which declared its single Death & Romance the #1 song of 2024. The album’s conceptual scope – fusing sci-fi imagery, ambient textures and introspective lyrics – positioned Magdalena Bay at the intersection of high-concept pop and avant-garde experimentation.
Now, on the first anniversary of Imaginal Disk, Tenenbaum and Lewin are teasing the long-awaited companion film directed by Amanda Kramer, written and edited by the duo themselves. The film is said to expand the world of Imaginal Disk, connecting storylines hinted at in earlier videos for Death & Romance, Image and That’s My Floor.
The releases come as Magdalena Bay’s sold-out Imaginal Mystery Tour winds its way through North America, including major appearances at Portola Music Festival and Austin City Limits, plus two headline nights at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The tour continues with performances at Miami’s III Points Festival, Atlanta’s Roxy, Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway and more.
2025 Imaginal Mystery Tour Dates
October 17 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
October 17-18 – Miami, FL – III Points Festival
October 20 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
October 21 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
October 22 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
October 24 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
October 25 – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem
October 26 – Philadelphia, PA – The Filmore
December 31 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom
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