Days before the release of their fifth album, Loss of Life, psych-pop favorites MGMT have dropped one last new single and video as a final appetizer, this one featuring an appearance by Christine and the Queens. The song, “Dancing in Babylon,” represents the first time the duo have included an official featured collaboration with another artist on a record. Check it out below:
MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser explained the collaboration in their own fashion, releasing a statement that said: “Creating the ‘Dancing in Babylon’ video … 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. The sandwich that emerged is a cosmic mille-feuille that would be presentable in most high-end French diners.”
Chrsitine and the Queens’ Chris was a bit more grounded in the statement, saying: “I always loved MGMT’s multiverse, their freedom and talent, their limpid songwriting and killer soundscapes. Regal, inspiring.
“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.”
'Loss of Life' is MGMT's first release since 2018's 'Little Dark Age.'
“Dancing in Babylon” is the fourth single released in the run-up to Loss of Life, following “Nothing to Declare” and “Bubblegum Dog,” the latter of which featured a hilariously kitsch ‘90s-themed video.
The forthcoming LP will be MGMT’s first full-length endeavor for their new label, Michael Goldstone’s Mom + Pop Records, which they share with such artists as Beach Bunny, Maya Hawke, Tom Morello, Sleater-Kinney, and Tegan and Sara. It’s the duo’s first release since 2018’s Little Dark Age, with the interim representing the longest gap between albums since MGMT’s emergence in 2007 with Oracular Spectacular, which saw the group score a surprise Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
Never miss a story — sign up for the Q newsletter for the latest music news on all your favorite artists, all in one place.
MGMT in Mexico City in 2012.
In a semi-formal statement about the impending release of Loss of Life, MGMT said, “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. Musically speaking, we are running at around 20% adult contemporary and no more than this, please.”
As for Christine and the Queens, they were last heard from on a delightful cover of the Bee Gees' 'Staying Alive." Last year the group curated London's Meltdown Festival, which will be helmed by Chaka Khan this coming June.
