We Are Imaginary return with their self-titled third album that takes listeners on a journey of reckoning and emotional release. They navigate the hypnotic guitar riffs and dreamy shoegaze hazy noise-pop layers, glide through warmth before snapping back into the reality of bruising tension and angst.
Produced by Joey Santos and frontman Ahmad Tanji, they mould the sonic textures of this album around the skeleton of the record's core message. The subtle, hushed sections build into powerful peaks, where vulnerability meets restraint, shaping a focused and cohesive album.
Frontman Ahmad Tanji expresses his sentiments on the production record as he shares, “Angee Rozul worked with our taste and style perfectly as our recording engineer, letting us lean towards a more ‘90s sound this time around, while Joey (Santos) gave each song a massive and dynamic mix. We would exchange several drafts per song, stripping them to their most essential, capturing what arrangement works with the story.”
The band frames the album as an inner dialogue, moving from doubt toward clarity while accepting that not everything needs resolution. Intricately crafted as a cohesive collection, We Are Imaginary unfolds gradually with delicate transitions and intimate moments that shine on vinyl or through quality headphones.
Tanji expresses his sentiments on the record as he muses, “This collection also feels more cohesive. There’s a sense of comfort and confidence when we started laying down our parts. I guess that comes with growing with the band for 17 years and trusting the people you work with.”
With We Are Imaginary, the band cements their mastery of texture, emotion, and restraint, offering listeners an immersive experience that rewards patience and attention. It’s a record that balances tension with release, introspection with sonic expansiveness, inviting audiences to lose themselves in the nuanced depths of their sound while reflecting on their own emotional journeys.
Like what you read? Show our writer some love!
-