When their 2007 debut Oracular Spectacular spawned three monster hits in the form of “Kids,” “Electric Feel,” and “Time to Pretend,” there was no way of telling where psych-pop band MGMT would end up with Loss Of Life, their fifth and expectedly subversive album. Released via their new home at Mom+Pop, members Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser have made a career out of stepping further away from the pop-friendly psychedelic songs that made their debut such a sensation.
With their last album, Little Dark Age, they enjoyed a second life when the title track gradually blew up over the past six years for its dark synth-pop. In comparison, the new material on Loss Of Life celebrates life despite the grim title, taking brave directions into explored and unexplored territory that reveals why the band’s psychedelia still transfixes today.
“Mother Nature” revels in colorful, fantasy-inspired lyrics and roaring instrumentation that takes the best features from their 2010 track “Congratulations.” There are still remnants of Little Dark Age, but the lush guitars and drums make for a more upbeat listening experience as the band matures in real-time. Although MGMT still produced most of the album themselves, along with Daniel Lopatin, Danger Mouse lends additional production to “Mother Nature” in a crossover between two enduring 2000s acts making music with the hopes of sparking optimism.
In another crossover, “Dancing In Babylon” finds MGMT in a duet with Christine and the Queens, marking the first-ever feature for an MGMT album. The heavy distortion at the start dissolves into an oscillating synth line that evolves into a touching, off-kilter rock ballad driven by its electronic OMD-esc melodies. It’s a standout track in MGMT’s later career, sprawling out in multiple directions that never lose the song’s emotional connectivity.
Other highlights from Loss Of Life include shimmering synths on the album closer, a galvanizing guitar solo at the end of “People In The Streets,” and the entirety of “Nothing Changes.” Compared to every other song in their catalog, “Nothing Changes” is the best vocal work from VanWyngarden, whose cautiously optimistic baritone suits the constantly ringing production. And with the inclusion of a horn and harmonica, the track becomes a lavish and unpredictable journey through dynamic soundscapes.
The record six years it took for Loss Of Life to arrive is made up by the album’s quality, with the band unafraid of taking creative chances and not holding back on any front. The enthusiasm is shared by VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, who completed the album before shopping it to Mom+Pop.
“All joking aside (never!), we are very proud of this album and the fact that it was a relatively painless birth after a lengthy gestation period, and [we] are happy to be releasing this baby into the world with Mom + Pop.” While the chances of future releases sounding anywhere close to this album are low, their ability to combine so many varying sounds into pleasant harmony is enough to last for a long time if needed for MGMT to deliver.
Words: David Sosa
Loss Of Life by MGMT is out on streaming services. For more on new music and potential tour dates, follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and their website.
