In 2014, ††† (Crosses) unleashed their hypnotic self-titled debut. Draped in rich electronic textures and walls of sound covered in static and haze, the project soundtracked a larger movement of darker sounds emerging from the recesses of the internet. The duo, comprised of Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and producer/multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez, built off the brooding soundscapes of their respective bands with an extra tinge of decadence. Then, they went silent.
Six years after their third EP, the two re-emerged with a cover of Cause and Effect's deep-cut "The Beginning of the End" in 2020, and teased fans at the prospect of new music with a cover of "Goodbye Horses" by Q Lazzarus in 2021. Over a decade since their first EP, Crosses is ready to dive headfirst into the current synth-wave nostalgia with the release of their forthcoming EP, PERMANENT.RADIANT.
Like everything the two touch, their latest single "SENSATION" is divine. Moreno's yearning vocals stretch into a sensual rasp as Lopez's production matches its intensity, creating a claustrophobic tunnel of noise that begs you to reach the end. Punchy industrial drums fall back into lush walls of fuzzy synths. Herein lies the magic of Crosses: duality.
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Moreno's lyricism carries over from Deftones into his work with Lopez as he crafts fragmented sentences into tales of eroticism dipped in doom. Nihilism has never sounded so good.
"SENSATION" is accompanied by a gorgeous visual featuring recurring protagonist, actress Thais Molon, emerging from a car crash and trying to find home. Molon's mysterious character is fleshed out with each video, painting a picture of mystery and tragedy amidst the beauty. The track arrives shortly after "VIVIEN," which features an infectious chorus many fans are comparing to a certain Britney Spears track.
Below, watch the PAPER premiere of "SENSATION" ahead of PERMANENT.RADIANT''s December 9 release.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Weiner
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