Track Review: Image (Grimes Special) // Magdalena Bay

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Photo credit: Mario Irellim

The original single for Magdalena Bay‘s 2024 ‘Image’ is a strange mix of genres merging disco, avant-pop and electronic effects. Despite its eclecticism, the song became an instant classic and garnered favourable reviews from multiple outlets.

Following on from its success, the song has been given a new life in the hands of Canadian electro-pop sorceress Grimes. True to Grimes’ futuristic style, the song is injected with the sound of whirling laser guns and a heavy guttural bass which sonically extends the crunchier quality of the original’s final chorus. While the original conjures the image of a light-filled dance floor, complete with disco balls and mirrored ceilings, Grimes’ version transports us to a dim, sweaty underground rave. The remix loses the infectious and sensual funk elements of the original–particularly felt in the jaunty cowbells that ring over the chorus–they’re replaced, however, with a grungier, dirtier sound, one that cleverly taps into the more macabre elements of the song.

‘Image’ explores the darker side of self-actualisation: the process and desire of becoming one’s best self. Image-making, plastic surgery and self-medication are all things we do in this process of becoming or appearing better. Grimes’ remix takes this desire and transforms it into the kind of futuristic nightmare we see in the likes of American Psycho (2000) or The Substance (2024). These cinematic allusions aren’t a coincidence. In fact, the whole remix feels theatrical and like it belongs on a soundtrack: a characteristic the Canadian musician, whose music is often inspired by classical films from Solaris (1972) to The Godfather (1972), is no stranger to. For example during an instrumental break on the remix, Grimes adds the effect of a resonant, droning horn. It’s dark and eerie and reminiscent of the sounds used in horror movies to indicate that the threat or monster is near.

Grimes’ version is refreshing and unique. Rather than completely deconstructing the single, breaking it apart to put it back together piece by piece into some chimeric monster, she amplifies a quieter layer of the song. Keeping the same general structure but throwing it into a parallel universe: the original’s ‘evil twin’. In this way, there is something truly haunting about it.

Grimes has been relatively silent since the release of her 2020 Miss Anthropocene album. Her remix of ‘Image’ is a strong punch, one that shows she still has the chops to make an aggressive and grungy club banger. The only question is to see whether this will extend to a larger project anytime soon

Words by Kit Gullis

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