Mercurial World

Mercurial World is the debut studio album by the American musical duo Magdalena Bay, released on October 8, 2021, through Luminelle Recordings. Developed for two years, Mercurial World was written, produced, and recorded by both members of the duo, the vocalist Mica Tenenbaum and the multi-instrumentalist Matthew Lewin. The 14-track album draws mainly on synth-pop and electronic pop styles, featuring predominant synthesizers and drums. Lyrically, the album centers on a theory about the passage of time and existence, while also leaning to themes of relationships, technology, and evolution.

Four singles—"Chaeri", "Secrets (Your Fire)", "You Lose!", and "Hysterical Us"—accompanied Mercurial World, along with music videos for all four and the album track "Dreamcatching". The conceptual visuals incorporate retro and Y2K aesthetics. To further promote the album, Magdalena Bay embarked on their first headlining concert tour, the Mercurial Tour, and performed at other events.

Upon its release, Mercurial World received mostly positive reviews from music critics; some of them praised its production and style, while the less enthusiastic reviewers criticized the lyricism. Commercially, the album reached two secondary Billboard charts in the United States. A 28-track deluxe edition was released on September 23, 2022; supported by three singles, it includes remixes by Cecile Believe and Danny L Harle, as well as fan-made voicemails.