Mercurial World

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 album received widespread acclaim from critics. A 28-track deluxe edition was released on September 23, 2022.

Mercurial World
Studio album by
Magdalena Bay
ReleasedOctober 8, 2021 (2021-10-08)
Genre
Length46:05
Label
ProducerMagdalena Bay
Magdalena Bay chronology
A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling
(2020)		 Mercurial World
(2021)		 Mini Mix, Vol. 3
(2023)
Singles from Mercurial World
  1. "Chaeri"
    Released: June 30, 2021
  2. "Secrets (Your Fire)"
    Released: August 11, 2021
  3. "You Lose!"
    Released: September 15, 2021
  4. "Hysterical Us"
    Released: October 5, 2021

Composition

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]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Beats Per Minute74%[4]
Exclaim!7/10[7]
The Guardian[9]
Pitchfork8.0/10[3]
PopMatters8/10[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]

Year-end lists
Critics' rankings for Mercurial World
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
God Is in the TV God Is in the TV Albums of 2021: 50–1
34
[5]
Gorilla vs. Bear Gorilla vs. Bear's Albums of 2021
1
[11]
The New Yorker – Sheldon Pearce My Thirty Favorite Albums of 2021 —
[12]
Our Culture Mag The 50 Best Albums of 2021
19
[13]
PopMatters The 75 Best Albums of 2021
20
[14]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2021
49
[15]
The Best Progressive Pop Music of 2021 —
[16]
Rolling Stone – Rob Sheffield Rob Sheffield's Top 20 Albums of 2021
13
[17]

Track listing

All tracks are written by and produced by Magdalena Bay

Standard edition
No.TitleLength
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
Deluxe edition
No.TitleLength
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

Personnel

Magdalena Bay

  • Matthew Lewin – writing, production, engineering, mixing, mastering
  • Mica Tenenbaum – vocals, writing, production

Musicians

  • Giacomo Cazzaro – saxophone
  • Louie Diller – drums
  • Juan Ignacio Varela – saxophone
  • Nick Villa – drums

Art

  • Max Taeuschel – layout
  • Ram Han – artwork

Charts
Chart performance for Mercurial World
Chart (2021) Peak
position
US Current Album Sales (Billboard)[18] 59
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[19] 18

References
  1. Werner, Haley (October 8, 2021). "Out Today by The Orchard: boylife, Juls, Magdalena Bay". Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  2. Moura, Rob (October 25, 2021). "Magdalena Bay Album Review". PopMatters. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  3. St. Asaph, Katherine (October 14, 2021). "Mercurial World Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  4. Cohn, Ben (October 15, 2021). "Album Review: Magdalena Bay – Mercurial World". Beats Per Minute. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  5. "God Is In The TV Albums of 2021: 50- 1". God Is in the TV. December 8, 2021. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  6. Collar, Matt. "Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay Album Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  7. Bell, Kaelan (October 7, 2021). "Magdalena Bay Surf Beyond the Internet on 'Mercurial World'". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  8. Campbell, Caleb (December 31, 2021). "Magdalena Bay – Mercurial World". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  9. Snapes, Laura (October 8, 2021). "Magdalena Bay: Mercurial World review – poolside pop with seductive charm". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  10. "Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  11. "Gorilla Vs. Bear's Albums of 2021". Gorilla vs. Bear. December 8, 2021. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  12. Perace, Sheldon (December 21, 2021). "My Thirty Favorite Albums of 2021". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  13. "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Our Culture Mag. December 9, 2021. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  14. "The 75 Best Albums of 2021". PopMatters. December 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  15. "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Pitchfork. December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  16. "The Best Progressive Pop Music of 2021". Pitchfork. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  17. Sheffield, Rob (December 21, 2021). "Rob Sheffield's Top 20 Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  18. "Current Album Sales: December 4, 2021". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  19. "Heatseekers Albums: December 4, 2021". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
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