Cigarettes after Sex

New York's outfit Cigarettes After Sex, fronted by Texan singer-songwriter Greg Gonzalez, debuted with the EP I (2012), that contains their atmospheric Cowboy Junkies-esque ballad Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby (2012), the sleepy oneiric Mazzy Star-esque single Affection (2015), and the single K (2016), a glacial spectral version of the same ideas that now borders on Nico's sepulchral meditations.

The album Cigarettes After Sex (2017) adds the oneiric lullaby Sunsetz to his catatonic canon, but mostly reprises his singles. By his standard, Apocalypse is a lively ditty, sung at double his normal speed and propelled by prominent percussion, and Sweet's (slightly) soaring refrain radiates unusual warmth. On the other hand, Opera House tries to further slow down the music, turning a gentle six-minute melody into the equivalent of a six-week Zen retreat. However, the ethereal can quickly slide into the moronic (and monotonous), as Each Time You Fall In Love and Truly prove.