“Somewhere out in the distance, our fate will be found.”
After an excruciatingly slow arrival, starting with a few singles, then the incredible 2022 EP, PERMANENT.RADIANT, I impatiently anticipated (Crosses)‘ inevitable attempt to follow up their monumental self-titled album. Nearly a decade later, (Crosses)‘ finally return with their sophomore full-length, Goodnight, Godbless, I Love U, Delete. Immediately, the title of the record feels electronic in spirit and reads as a send-off of sorts. While matching their first project in quality would be a tall feat, Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez conquer the ‘sophomore slump’ on this ambitious release.
(Crosses) have been on a roll since their 2020 comeback, and lead single “Invisible Hand” maintains that streak. Tasteful, over-the-top production choices, like using the sound of glass shattering as part of its percussion and constantly panning different components, construct the texture of this harmoniously deranged track. With a bass so heavy that you would be doing yourself a disservice not experiencing it in a car, and a chorus so catchy that it’ll have you waking up hearing it, “Invisible Hand” reigns as one of my favourite singles of the year.
Released together as the final preview for this project, “Light as a Feather” and “Ghost Ride” double down on the maximalist production style they strived for on this record. “Light as a Feather” features a beat reminiscent of the sound of “Day One” on their previous EP, but taking a seductive, dance-focused approach, with a further developed chorus. “Ghost Ride” stands out as one of my favourite cuts. Containing a flawlessly constructed chorus and haunting melodies interwoven throughout it, this song feels like it was created specifically for the rolling credits at the end of a really good horror film. Additionally, the electronic drop capping off the second chorus wraps this last single up in the most exciting way.
To open the project, the duo drafts “Pleasure”, a moody and villainous track that initiates with intensely percussive synths. The verses build on this pressure, whereas the choruses serve as the track’s atmospheric release — an interesting twist on typical song structure, yet unsurprising as (Crosses) rarely comply with convention. Similarly to “Ghost Ride”, we’re gifted with a cinematic, electronic outro that fades out, immersing the listener into this album’s soundscape. This is where “Found” does a fantastic job of elaborating on the record’s softer sides. Without losing the stimulating production within the down-tempo verses, this track leads into a pained and yearning chorus. The spacey, scattered synths on the last stretch conclude it in a picturesque fashion.
Up to “Runner”, this record manages to remain cohesive without becoming one-dimensional, but on “Big Youth” the pace is broken up in a way that doesn’t feel out of left field. Under a trap-y, trip-hop beat, Chino exercises a shouty vocal style in the chorus that he has yet to utilize in (Crosses)‘ discography. The track features the famed El-P from Run The Jewels, which might sound odd in theory but works flawlessly in practice. Directly after, “End Youth (Reprise)” contrasts the fervour of the prior track with a restrained beat underneath what sounds like reversed piano chords. This establishes an ominous feeling embedded in the instrumental, particularly when it’s stripped of its beat.
Much of the album took around three listens to truly appreciate each track, but with “Natural Selection” the connection was instantaneous. The simple groove carrying Chino’s droning vocal technique creates an alluring environment, similar to that of “Light as a Feather”, and the undeniable ear-worm of a hook had me wishing it was a single. Circling back to the beginning of the song, “Natural Selection” is intentionally muffled and drowned out in its outro, only adding to the strategic ambiance the duo have created on this project. The eery, bewitching nature makes it stick out, especially against the remaining two tracks of this record.
Leaving “Girls Float + Boys Cry”, featuring Robert Smith of The Cure, to the end of this record panned out to be both clever and agonizing; upon my first listen, this feature was unquestionably what I had been waiting for. Smith‘s tortured and emotion-drenched vocals makes for the record’s most passionate track. The imagery that the instrumentation alone conjures is, in the most literal sense, otherworldly. A music video depicting an astronaut floating out into the void might capture the essence of this song. Initially, I would have been content if the record ended there.
That sentiment was lost immediately upon hearing the titular closer. Without straying far from the climate of the preluding song, “Goodnight, Godbless, I Love U, Delete” plays out as an extension of “Girls Float + Boys Cry”. By design, there is no real progression to the structure of this outro. It’s monotonous, melancholic, and an appropriate way to wrap up this project. As the title suggests, it feels like one last farewell, and does so in the most introspective way the duo could assemble. The repetition of the words “Sweet dreams, goodnight,” are both reassuring and despondent, allowing for a healthy space to contemplate the tracklist as a full body.
By the end of Goodnight, Godbless, I Love U, Delete, it’s clear that both Chino and Shaun took great pride and consideration into the lasting impression that this album leaves listeners with, as well as the tenacity of each cut. Not only do these songs correspond lyrically and sonically, but it feels as though this album could be described in short as a one extensive, beautiful swan song. Even in moments where I may have lost focus or interest, the next track would effortlessly recover my attention. With fifteen tracks, maintaining this level of replay value is honestly shocking. Each return to this record feels like a new experience as I take notice of new stylistic choices or even an entire song that may not have initially captured me. It’s for that reason that I feel Goodnight, Godbless, I Love U, Delete is (Crosses)’ finest work, and may remain that way.
9/10
Goodnight, Godbless, I Love U, Delete releases this Friday, October 13th, via Warner Records, and you can pre-order it here.