Cults – ‘To The Ghosts’ album review: expansive indie pop from the New York duo
THE SKINNY: Cults have quietly been making hits for over a decade, like the bittersweet tale of devotion, ‘Always Forever’, which has amassed over 500million streams on Spotify. Their song ‘Bad Things’ was even sampled by J Cole in the hit ‘She Knows’, allowing the band to reach an even wider audience. Clearly, Cults’ dreamy indie pop songs are well-loved by fans, with every piece inviting listeners to fully immerse themselves in a part-playful and part-nostalgic atmosphere.
Their fifth album, To The Ghosts, sees Cults maintain their classic sound while also experimenting more freely with their lyricism, which lead singer Madeline Follin states was largely the result of a stream-of-consciousness approach. There are many catchy hits here that, although laced with a certain sugariness, never fall into saccharine territory.
Instead, Follin’s high-spirited vocals are often undercut with slightly more brooding instrumentals, such as on ‘Eat It Cold’, or, conversely, upbeat poppiness is contrasted with more complex lyricism. For example, the shimmering instrumental palette of ‘Crybaby’ sits in opposition to Follin’s words: “Crybaby/ So caught up in your misery.” Cults strike the perfect balance between fun and the slightly darker aspects of life, reflecting on heavier topics, such as sadness or loneliness, but never falling into pessimism.
In fact, there’s often a sense of reassurance present in Follin’s lyrics, which subsequently offers an enjoyable and hopeful listening experience. Many of the songs also possess a cinematic and expansive feel, encouraging us to experience the drama of life’s ups and downs. From glittering synths to moody guitars, there’s a real blend of emotions evoked on To The Ghosts, and this prevents it from becoming stale or repetitive.
Still, it feels as though Cults could push the boat out a little bit further, because, in a land saturated with many indie pop artists, constant innovation is required to stand out. With that being said, the band have continued to hone their unmistakable sound, and To the Ghosts features many future Cult(s) classics.
For fans of: Romanticising life, making mood boards on Pinterest, and possibly being unemployed.
A concluding comment from a Tik Tok addict: “OK, fine, maybe I’ll finally stop listening to the sped-up version of ‘Always Forever’.“
To The Ghosts track by track:
Release Date: July 26th | Producer: Cults and Shane Stoneback | Label: Imperial
‘Crybaby’: Anyone who has listened to Cults for a while will instantly feel at home with ‘Crybaby’, which features the bittersweetness that defines many of their songs while also possessing an addictive chorus that will certainly become a live favourite. [4/5]
‘Left My Keys’: A promising tale about growing up featuring charming melodies – “And we can drive all night/ We can go anywhere,” Follin sings. Meanwhile, the keys have an element of Broadcast to them, which is always a good thing. [4/5]
‘Onions’: The band prioritise playfulness here, with Follin’s voice sounding sweet and energetic. Layers of synths create plenty of interest, and the band experiments with moments of intensity and mellowness, resulting in a jam-packed four-minute odyssey. [3.5/5]
‘Crystal’: “All the lights in town are dimmer without you,” Follin sings as a lively synth pops and bursts over the instrumentals. Again, the tempo is toyed with here, but it feels as though it ends too soon without the full potential of the track being explored. [3/5]
‘Leave Home’: A glistening synth underlines ‘Leave Home’, which is built upon with layers of guitars, bass, a steady beat, Follin’s dreamy vocals, and keys before breaking away into sparseness. [3.5/5]
‘Eat It Cold’: Follin is reflective here, driving past a house she used to live in with someone else, all while a jolting synth spikes in and out. The song then devolves into an impressively mysterious and drama-filled soundscape that seems to lean on the precipice of danger and uncertainty. [4/5]
‘Honey’: The band slows things back down with ‘Honey’, which takes a fairly minimal approach, at least at the beginning, with Follin singing, “We had a chance to make it right.” In typical Cults style, the song swells into something bigger for the chorus, but this doesn’t feel as memorable as other cuts on the record. [3/5]
‘Knots’: Opening with deceivingly dark guitars, Follin then chimes in with her airy vocals, pivoting the song into another sonic direction. The dichotomy between the verses and the chorus works perfectly. [3.5/5]
‘Behave’: A pounding synth and manipulated vocal samples opens up ‘Behave’, which teases a slightly different approach to electronic instrumentation for the band. They suit it really well. [3.5/5]
‘Open Water’: Trombones and a strong bassline keep ‘Open Water’ afloat, which also features a flurry of dizzying synths. It’s one of the greatest songs on the album. [4/5]
‘Cells’: The hazy beat and vocal melodies of this track bring to mind the sounds of 1960s girl groups, although, at less than two minutes long, it feels a little too short. [3/5]
‘You’re In Love With Yourself’: A medium tempo number, ‘You’re In Love With Yourself’ is one of the band’s most lyrically poignant cuts on the album, with Follin airing her frustration with someone who won’t accept help. [3.5/5]
‘Hung The Moon’: A slightly haunting and darker end, the song is an intense and commanding piece which warps and bends with synths that feel a little ominous. The lyrics are simple yet memorable, with Follin singing, “Still sometimes the weight/ Feels hard to push through/ If I had the choice/ It’d always be you.” [3.5/5]
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.