MGMT has offered a final taste of new music ahead of the Feb. 23 release of their upcoming Mom + Pop album Loss Of Life, in the form of “Dancing in Babylon.” The song and video both feature Christine and the Queens’ Chris, marking the first ever duet on an MGMT album. Listen to “Dancing in Babylon” HERE. Buy/Stream Loss of Life HERE.
The “Dancing in Babylon” clip was directed by MGMT’s longtime collaborator Ray Tintori, who previously helmed videos for the band’s classics “Time To Pretend,” “Electric Feel” and “Kids.” It also boasts the talents of the iconic John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), British actor Julian Morris (Pretty Little Liars, New Girl) and his real-life husband, artist Landon Ross.
“I always loved MGMT’s multiverse, their freedom and talent, their limpid songwriting and killer soundscapes. Regal, inspiring,” Chris says of the collaboration. “When they reached out for this power ballad, I was honored and also excited to dive into their dream, because I have the same all-encompassing approach with my work. I loved the backstory of the lyrics as well, and I work my lower register here more than usual. I felt invited into their cool movie, and I’m glad to be now a part of the galaxy. Let’s work on more love in the love galaxy.”
“Creating the ‘Dancing in Babylon’ video with Chris and Ray was a prodigious affair (love), requiring everyone involved to operate in six dimensions at once, all while simultaneously making a simple turkey sandwich with Dijon mustard,” MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser say. “The sandwich that emerged is a cosmic mille-feuille that would be presentable in most high-end French diners.”
“I went back for the second day of shoot – the day where they decided to reinterpret a war scene, but with delirious soldier fits, very Cronenberg, with mushes of brain as knickers and, on my own armor, a pussy-shaped flesh,” Chris continues. “I love how the video developed into this baroque odysseus of love. I love how personal and insane it gets with them. Very rejuvenating and liberating. And also, more utopias like this. Resistance is in our imagination. We can alchemize all this world’s pain and turn it into hope, for a better future. Literally, put flowers back at the end of guns. This is a good song for that. Love songs cure despair. End of transmission.”
Loss Of Life is the long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s Little Dark Age. Loss Of Life was produced by MGMT, along with Patrick Wimberly (Solange, Lil Yachty, Joji). Longtime collaborator Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Spoon) mixed the album as he has done on the group’s past four full-lengths.
On Loss Of Life, additional production was supplied by Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and James Richardson. Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) provides additional production on “Mother Nature” and Miles A. Robinson served as associate producer and engineer across the album.
MGMT has previously released videos for album tracks “Mother Nature,” “Bubblegum Dog” and “Nothing to Declare.” The themes of Loss Of Life will be further explored through future videos made by a remarkable roster of writers, producers and directors.
“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 are happy to be releasing this baby into the world with Mom + Pop,” MGMT says. “Musically speaking, we are running at around 20% adult contemporary and no more than this, please.”
MGMT is teaming up with Pitchblack Playback to host listening parties (in the dark) for the much-anticipated new album ‘Loss Of Life’ — uniting MGMT fans to listen to the album in full prior to its public release. For those unable to attend an event in person, join fans around the world exclusively on VEEPS for a livestream of this advance listening experience, straight from the heart of Hollywood. The event in Los Angeles includes a conversation between MGMT (Andrew VanWyngarden & Ben Goldwasser) and “Bubblegum Dog” music video co-director and comedian Tom Scharpling. All proceeds from the events and livestream go to The Loveland Foundation”
Tues 20 Feb – Soho Hotel Screening Rooms, London
Wed 21 Feb – Cine Tonalá, Mexico City // National Sawdust, New York // Golden Age, Sydney
Thurs 22 Feb – NeueHouse, Los Angeles // Club 13, Paris // VEEPS live stream
Loss Of Life tracklisting:
1. Loss Of Life (part 2)
2. Mother Nature
3. Dancing In Babylon (featuring Christine and the Queens)
4. People In The Streets
5. Bubblegum Dog
6. Nothing To Declare
7. Nothing Changes
8. Phradie’s Song
9. I Wish I Was Joking
10. Loss Of Life
Formed in 2002, MGMT released their influential, Grammy-nominated debut album Oracular Spectacular in 2007, followed by Congratulations in 2010 and a self-titled project three years later. The title track of the duo’s most recent album, 2018’s Little Dark Age, became an out-of-nowhere viral smash during the COVID-19 pandemic. It spawned more than five million videos about social justice, trans rights, anime and the war in Ukraine, and is currently the band’s #1 most streamed song and third most streamed all-time behind “Electric Feel” and “Kids.”
