ALBUM REVIEW: Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. – ††† (Crosses)

October 12, 2023October 12, 2023 Scott Wilson

Chino Moreno is no stranger to twilight-tinged songs with a seductive edge; the influential Lost In Vegas often react to DEFTONES’ music and wax lyrical about their sinister sexiness. On ††† (CROSSES)‘s second full-length, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete., that vibe is amplified tenfold by replacing the downtuned guitars from his regular gig with heart-pounding electronics courtesy of FAR‘s Shaun Lopez. In an album full of hooks, a breathy “take me…higher” refrain stands out as encapsulating the euphoria, desire, and longing that Moreno’s voice has expressed for decades.

The record’s nocturnal palette could easily give way to some dark and twisted material, but on the contrary, ahead of the record’s release, Moreno said: “When we started working on [the album], there was so much more light coming in my life, for numerous reasons. There’s a lot of optimism. Even the darker themes are more romanticised and not coming from a place of despair.” At times it feels like the other, brighter side of RADIOHEAD‘s devastating Kid A. This soundtrack to a midnight on the dance floor is full of life and colour, not exactly upbeat, but invigorated. When Pleasure kicks the album off with Downward Spiral-like synths, it is like being dropped into the action, no introductions needed, heartbeat already racing.

They smooth things out too, like on the R&B rhythms of Runner where Moreno’s voice glides over digital keys as warm as a sunrise, a song contrasting intimacy with danger in lines like “shots go off in the air, in the skies above us.” Repeated references to sinking and falling across the record complement the music’s enveloping feel, which sways between a crepuscular lull and an industrial barrage, sometimes overwhelming, always inviting.

Two big guest appearances make the most of their time and add even more flavour to an already tasty listen. First is rapper El-P on Big Youth, whose no holds barred bars herald drum ’n’ bass percussion and raise-the-roof air sirens. Moreno’s snarling, distorted delivery makes this centrepiece a standout, and El-P escalates it to unforgettable. Later, and a more natural bedfellow, THE CURE‘s Robert Smith turns up on Girls Float † Boys Cry, lending some real heft to what could be – but shouldn’t be – seen as a mere side-project. Appropriately the darkest song on the record, Smith’s “I can’t shake it” cries, accompanied by a cold, clean electric guitar, accentuate this late-album moment of loneliness.

It is a fertile time for ††† (CROSSES). Last year’s Permanent.Radiant EP was a welcome reminder of the power Moreno and Lopez have tapped into with the project, and here they stuff the record full with 15 tracks, which by their own admission is more than they would typically like. But if most long albums could do with an edit job, good luck finding what to lose on Goodnight… Front to back, this is the best work both men have created in quite some time. They sound liberated by this new sonic playground, like when Light As A Feather’s delicate pizzicato creates a mood that is as reminiscent of a disturbing liminal space as it is heavenly. Or when the watery keys of the majestic Eraser explode into something much crunchier, basking in the freedom to experiment with every texture at their disposal. So despite its length, despite the potential to get lost in all this overflowing creativity, it is a remarkably disciplined record that feels simultaneously cinematic, sharp, and snappy. A must-listen.

Rating: 9/10