Loss of life

Loss of Life MGMT Review

Loss of Life is synth-pop group MGMT’s fifth studio album and was released on February 23rd, 2024. This was actually my first time listening to a full length MGMT album, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had heard one of their songs “Little Dark Age” which I thought was a phenomenal track, however, I just never got around to listening to the rest of their stuff. Here are my thoughts, track by track.We begin the album with the first track,“Loss of Life part 2”, with a spoken word intro reciting a Welsh poem, as the backing track grows more and more vivid, until it finally comes to a stop. The next track, “Mother Nature,” has some relaxing guitar strums and apparently the lyrics are a lot more straightforward than those in their previous songs, according to Genius. The comparison of mother nature to the human spirit illustrates how both are closely intertwined. The guitar solo near the end is absolutely wonderful, and I like how despite all of the guitar and synth instrumentation going on, you never lose sight of the vocals. I like the fantasy vibe in the bridge. “To open castle gates and let me go inside, and taste the bitter tea that won’t let you hide.”

After “Mother Nature”, we continue the journey with “Dancing in Babylon” featuring Christine and the Queens. This is actually the first time an artist has been featured on an MGMT album. The synth pattern and piano chords provide a calming backing track for Andrew Van Wyngarden’s and Christine and the Queens’ vocals. I really like the 1980s synth wave vibe that the track has going on, and the line, “We’re proud-hearted like fish in the lobby” which I have no idea what it means, but I love it nonetheless. The beat switch with the acoustic guitar and up-tempo drums gives the track a memorable outro. Two back to back great tracks with “Mother Nature,” and “Dancing in Babylon.” So far I’ve noticed that there’s a heavy usage of acoustic guitar as well as a lot of synthesizers in the background.

The next track, “People in the Streets,” is a darker song on the record, my favorite line being, “And just as the sun comes out again, something is blocking the light.” The song seems to symbolize an internal battle between light and darkness, and it paints a very vivid picture of that battle. This one is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the record. The synthesizer outro is hauntingly beautiful, and the guitar riff is relaxing.

“Bubblegum Dog,” returns to the acoustic sound of “Mother Nature,” and as I’ve listened to it I’ve started to notice that this album has a relatively stripped back sound. The “bubblegum dog” the song is referring to is supposed to symbolize heavy expectations and aging. Van Wyngarden sings that he’s “afraid of the bubblegum dog, and it’s finally catching up with me.” I find it relatable when it comes to getting older. As a teenager, and in my early 20s I felt invincible, but now I’m 24 and every year I kinda dread getting older. It used to be a milestone, but this song really spoke to me. The synthesizer intensifying really conveys the emotional aspect of age finally catching up with us.

Next, we have “Nothing to Declare”, with some beautiful and minimalist production, I’m a sucker for the beauty of the gentle guitar riffs and glittery synth patterns. I really like the line “the waters beckon me to dive, I can tell the pearl’s in there, and still there’s nothing I can find.” This track speaks to me because it compares the world to an oyster, and basically is saying that even though the simplest things make us happy, it’s still not enough for the person in this song to find enjoyment. This album takes us into dark places, and it’s clearly intentional.
“Nothing Changes,” has a slow tempo and sounds like the kind of song that couples slow dance to at a wedding. The reverb soaked guitar makes me feel like I’m accessing someone else’s dream. “Wishing all the stars could save me,” is a profoundly depressing illustration of someone re-living the same day over and over again. The trumpet break before the bridge is also a nice touch and adds a layer of melancholy to the song. I enjoy this song, though I feel like it goes on a little bit too long.

“Phradie’s Song” continues with the slow tempo rhythm, and minimalist production. You’ve probably noticed a pattern, as this album is very stripped back and focuses on a bare bones approach to the music. This song is a lot more positive than the last few tracks, as the singer expresses his love for another person, when he previously believed he “couldn’t love anymore.”  My favorite line on the track is, “The morning sun is there in your hands, and I will sing for you,” The glimmering keyboards paired with the symphony at the end of the song provides a beautiful and calming atmosphere.

“I Wish I Was Joking,” has a swirly vocal filter and trades an acoustic sound for a more electric sound with synthesizers, organs, and piano. The instrumental sounds like something that would play at a memorial service, and it’s very surreal. The song isn’t terrible, but it feels like more of a filler track, and covers the same themes of loneliness and depression, but doesn’t do so in a way that is engaging like the other tracks.

Finally, we finish the album with “Loss of Life,” a cut off the record with beautiful synth chords and a vocoded filter in the vocals. The song finishes off the album on a high note, and has a positive approach to death, even though nothing prepares us for loss of life. “When the world is born and life is ending, then you learn to love your loss of life,” is a lyric that approaches human mortality in a sort of cliched way, but it’s a welcome change from the more depressing elements of the album. Instrumentally, the final track is incredibly layered and makes me feel as if I’m ascending through the clouds. A solid end to one of 2024’s most anticipated releases.

I can’t compare this album to MGMT’s other releases, as I haven’t listened to their other albums yet, but this album was a truly psychedelic experience and I really like how it put me in someone else’s shoes, sort of like Plastic Beach did. I feel like this album is one of those releases that I’d probably enjoy the more I listen to it, because currently I feel somewhat ambivalent towards it. It’s by no means a bad album, I find it to be quite beautiful, but a decent amount of the tracks often repeat the same themes, without adding a new twist or perspective to the music. MGMT fans will enjoy this album heavily, and while there were plenty of things I enjoyed about the album, I can’t see myself giving it a higher score than a 7 out of 10. 

Overall Score: 7/10

Best Tracks: “Mother Nature”, “Dancing in Babylon,” “Loss of Life”

Least Favorite Tracks: “I Wish I Was Joking,” “Nothing Changes”

Listen to Loss of Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDzIO5ahGE8

Genres: Psychedelic/Pop/Indie Rock