MGMT’s latest album “Little Dark Age” lacks organization

By Danielle Smith

Managing Editor

MGMT unsuccessfully deviates from their previous rock-inspired style in their fourth studio album “Little Dark Age.”

Although “Little Dark Age” is a cohesive album, it consists of uninspiring tracks littered with discordant, electronic noises and mundane vocals. MGMT’s “Little Dark Age” is an attempt at a streamline, synth-pop album that unfortunately falls flat.

The album, which was released on Feb. 9, is a compilation of 10 tracks, two of which are explicit. “Little Dark Age” is American rock band MGMT’s fourth studio album and their first album in the past five years following “MGMT” which was released in 2013.

MGMT’s lead vocalist and guitarist Andrew VanWyngarden, accompanied by keyboardist Ben Goldwasser, formed MGMT in 2002 while studying at Wesleyan University. Rolling Stone Magazine labeled MGMT as a top ten “Artist to Watch” in 2008, and in more recent years, MGMT took a break from producing music before the release of “Little Dark Age.”  

Each song in “Little Dark Age” features a similar, electronic sound that flows between the tracks, creating a cohesive album. When listened to in sequence, “Little Dark Age” successfully conveys MGMT’s brooding attitude and carries the gloomy outlook from one song to the next.

“Me and Michael” is the most catchy track on the album due to its more upbeat and melodic sound. The song is a highlight of the otherwise disappointing album as it is most reminiscent of MGMT’s signature indie-rock style.

The dark lyrics in songs including “When You Die” and the album’s closing track, “Hand It Over,” further add to the intense, brooding tone. Lyrics such as “We’ll all be laughing with you when you die” are harsh, yet timely and relatable.

Although MGMT’s attempt to change its signature style is commendable, the new, funky sound prevalent throughout “Little Dark Age” is overall underwhelming. The songs are littered with seemingly random, unwelcome electronic sound effects rendering them nearly unrecognizable as MGMT.

Compared to MGMT’s previous hit singles “Kids,” “Electric Feel” and “Time to Pretend,” which were hugely successful, the songs in “Little Dark Age” fall flat with over-synthesized vocals and an overabundance of strange, unsettling sounds. The combination of these two distracting, negative aspects renders the album unpleasant to listen to.

MGMT’s “Little Dark Age” is disappointing, despite its potential to be the band’s outbreak into the increasingly popular electronic-pop genre. The numerous unsettling aspects of the album and unnecessary bells and whistles ultimately overshadow the songwriting, rendering the album unsatisfying.

“Little Dark Age” was released on Feb. 9 and is available for purchase on iTunes for $9.99. It is also available for instant streaming on music websites including Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Music.