Released in 2021, Mercurial World is a stunning debut that feels like it was beamed in from a highly-stylised, internet-obsessed future. Magdalena Bay had been building a cult following with their EPs and social media presence, but this album was the moment they truly arrived as masters of their craft. It’s a concept album of sorts – obsessed with time, digital reality, and the cyclical nature of life – but it never feels heavy-handed because the songs are so incredibly catchy.

The sound is a dense, gleaming mix of synth-pop, disco, and psychedelic pop. It’s very much “online” music – shiny, fast-paced, and full of clever little sonic details that reward you for wearing headphones. It manages to sound like it could have come out in the 80s, the early 2000s, and 20 years from now all at the same time. Mica Tenenbaum’s airy, sugar-sweet vocals provide a perfect contrast to the sometimes complex, glitchy production happening underneath. It’s incredibly polished but has a quirky, experimental heart.

“Chaeri” is a dark, pulsing masterpiece that builds into something huge, while “You lose!” has a crunchy, video-game energy that is impossible to ignore. The way the album loops back into itself at the end is a brilliant touch too. It’s an album that feels very “of its time” but in a way that feels like it’s setting the pace rather than following trends. If you want a pop record that is smart, weird, and incredibly fun, this is the one to put on repeat.