MGMT have collaborated with Christine & The Queens for their new song ‘Dancing In Babylon’.
The blissful new track is the final preview of MGMT’s new album ‘Loss Of Life‘ (out February 23).
The song – which marks the first-ever duet on an MGMT album – unveils a lush musical arrangement of piano chords, retro synths and keys with new wave influences.
The new track arrives with a music video that features Chris of Christine and the Queens.
Check out ‘Dancing In Babylon’ below.
“I always loved MGMT’s multiverse, their freedom and talent, their limpid songwriting and killer soundscapes. Regal, inspiring,” Chris said of the collaboration in a press statement.
“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.”
MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser shared in their own statement that: “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.
“The sandwich that emerged is a cosmic mille-feuille that would be presentable in most high-end French diners.”
Chris continued: “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.
“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.”
The new track follows singles ‘Mother Nature‘, ‘Bubblegum Dog‘ and ‘Nothing To Declare‘.
‘Loss Of Life’ will serve as the follow-up to 2018’s ‘Little Dark Age‘. In a four-star review of the album, NME wrote that the “psychedelic indie heroes make a surprise return to pop with their fun-filled fourth album”.
Elsewhere, MGMT recently opened up about their song ‘Little Dark Age’ going viral on TikTok, describing the moment as “really exciting”.