| Mercurial World | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 8, 2021 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 46:05 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | Magdalena Bay | |||
| Magdalena Bay chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Mercurial World | ||||
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Mercurial World is the debut studio album by American synthpop duo Magdalena Bay, released on October 8, 2021, through Luminelle Recordings and The Orchard. [1] The 14-track album received generally positive reviews from critics. A 28-track deluxe edition was released on September 23, 2022.
Mercurial World is a synth-pop and electronic pop album, [2] [3] [4] [5] with elements of disco, pop rock, electronica, shoegaze, EDM, vaporwave, noise pop, chiptune, progressive house, sophisti-pop, yacht-pop, and psychedelic music. [6] [7] [2] [8] [9] [4] The album's instrumentation consists of "funk guitar, bouncing disco piano, and every texture and tone of synth imaginable." [7]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 78/100 [10] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Beats Per Minute | 74% [4] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10 [7] |
| The Guardian | [9] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10 [3] |
| PopMatters | 8/10 [2] |
| Under the Radar |    [8] |
Mercurial World received a score of 78 out of 100 on review aggregate site Metacritic, based on eight critical reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [10] Matt Collar of AllMusic described band member Mica Tennenbaum's vocals as "cherubic croon", comparing it to Kate Bush, Madonna, and Minnie Riperton. [6] Katherine St. Asaph, writing for Pitchfork commended the album's sequencing, with its "gentle dissolves and impeccably timed key and tempo changes", but criticized its lyrics as "unadorned afterthoughts". [3] Exclaim! writer Kaelen Bell called Mercurial World "a big album from small places, one that revels in the protean nature of the internet and sees the possibilities for reinvention that still exist there." [7]
Under the Radar writer Caleb Cambell praised the album highly, saying "Magdalena Bay are quite simply talented pop songsmiths. Their debut is first and foremost a smartly crafted record, full of irresistible melodic hooks and detailed production. The results are all-enveloping and mesmerizing, crafting a glittery pop landscape with plenty of layers to uncover and unexpected new territory to explore with each listen". [8]
| Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| God Is in the TV | God Is in the TV Albums of 2021: 50–1 | 34 | |
| Gorilla vs. Bear | Gorilla vs. Bear's Albums of 2021 | 1 | |
| The New Yorker – Sheldon Pearce | My Thirty Favorite Albums of 2021 | — | |
| Our Culture Mag | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 19 | |
| PopMatters | The 75 Best Albums of 2021 | 20 | |
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 49 | |
| The Best Progressive Pop Music of 2021 | — | ||
| Rolling Stone – Rob Sheffield | Rob Sheffield's Top 20 Albums of 2021 | 13 |
All tracks are written by and produced by Magdalena Bay
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The End" | 0:31 |
| 2. | "Mercurial World" | 3:01 |
| 3. | "Dawning of the Season" | 3:24 |
| 4. | "Secrets (Your Fire)" | 4:05 |
| 5. | "You Lose!" | 3:24 |
| 6. | "Something for 2" | 3:36 |
| 7. | "Chaeri" | 4:17 |
| 8. | "Halfway" | 1:58 |
| 9. | "Hysterical Us" | 3:55 |
| 10. | "Prophecy" | 3:34 |
| 11. | "Follow the Leader" | 3:04 |
| 12. | "Domino" | 3:42 |
| 13. | "Dreamcatching" | 3:27 |
| 14. | "The Beginning" | 4:01 |
| Total length: | 45:05 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Secret 1" | 0:22 |
| 2. | "The End" | 0:31 |
| 3. | "Mercurial World" | 3:01 |
| 4. | "Unconditional" | 3:09 |
| 5. | "Dawning of the Season" | 3:24 |
| 6. | "Secrets (Your Fire)" | 4:06 |
| 7. | "Secrets 2-9: Medley" | 1:45 |
| 8. | "You Lose!" | 3:24 |
| 9. | "Secret 10" | 0:08 |
| 10. | "You Lose!" (8-Bit) | 1:36 |
| 11. | "Something for 2" (Cecile Believe Remix) | 4:10 |
| 12. | "Chaeri" | 4:17 |
| 13. | "Secret 11" | 0:19 |
| 14. | "Halfway" | 1:58 |
| 15. | "Hysterical Us" | 3:56 |
| 16. | "Secret 12" | 0:18 |
| 17. | "All You Do" | 4:28 |
| 18. | "Prophecy" (Synth & Strings) | 4:02 |
| 19. | "Follow the Leader" | 3:04 |
| 20. | "Secret 13" | 0:03 |
| 21. | "Chaeri" (Danny L Harle Remix) | 3:22 |
| 22. | "Chaeri" (Piano & Strings) | 4:42 |
| 23. | "Dominó" (Spanish Version) | 3:43 |
| 24. | "Dreamcatching" | 3:27 |
| 25. | "Secret 14" | 0:10 |
| 26. | "The Beginning" | 4:01 |
| 27. | "Mercurial World" (Piano & Strings) | 3:09 |
| 28. | "Secret 15" | 0:14 |
| Total length: | 70:54 | |
Magdalena Bay
Musicians
Art
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Current Album Sales ( Billboard ) [18] | 59 |
| US Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [19] | 18 |
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