IMAGINARY PEOPLE explore loss, mortality, and human connection on “All The Glitter,” a lush, atmospheric preview of their upcoming album Takes.
New York City-based band IMAGINARY PEOPLE announce their upcoming album Takes, arriving February 5, 2027. Following their acclaimed 2025 release Alibi, the record reveals a more intimate and atmospheric side of frontman Dylan Von Wagner’s songwriting. The band has also released “All The Glitter,” the album’s lead single, which premiered through Magnet Magazine.
Written from the perspective of someone approaching death, “All The Glitter” imagines a life filled with extraordinary experiences and endless possibilities. Von Wagner drew inspiration from a photography exhibition featuring a woman who had died from terminal cancer. One particular image sparked his imagination and inspired him to create a fairytale-like story about her life.
The track pairs Von Wagner’s warm, expressive vocals with celestial synths and wistful arrangements. Its lush production creates a haunting atmosphere that balances beauty with grief.
A Record Shaped by Loss
Takes marks a significant shift for IMAGINARY PEOPLE. Rather than relying on their usual intensity, the band explores melancholy folk, atmospheric electronics, and deeply personal themes. The album examines mortality, loss, connection, and the possibility of redemption.
Von Wagner first wrote much of the material in 2019 after visiting the photography exhibition. However, he left the songs untouched for several years. In early 2025, his mother’s cancer diagnosis brought those emotions back and encouraged him to revisit the recordings. He also wrote additional material to complement the original compositions.
Von Wagner recorded the songs as solo acoustic performances in a single day. The band later expanded those recordings with layered arrangements. They initially worked inside an abandoned laundromat before moving to Brooklyn’s Figure 8 Recording. Michael Coleman, known for his work with Bill Frisell and Cassandra Jenkins, engineered and mixed the sessions.
Expanding Beyond Acoustic Songwriting
Although Takes began with stripped-down demos, the finished album features a rich instrumental palette. Keyboardist Justin Repasky adds expansive synths and atmospheric textures that give Von Wagner’s intimate songs a cosmic dimension.
Throughout the record, the band places human emotion at the center of its creative approach. Spanish artist Mira Ruido, a returning collaborator, also created the album artwork.
Stream “All The Glitter” and experience IMAGINARY PEOPLE’s haunting blend of melancholy folk, celestial synths, and intimate storytelling.
Press Release
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