The Cure share new captivating single ‘Alone’ ahead of forthcoming album
After a 16-year hiatus, The Cure has returned with their mesmerising new single, ‘Alone’. As dark and captivating as ever, the track weaves an intriguing layer of mystique into the band’s signature sound, playing on notions of both enchantment and curiosity.
Opening with a long, swirling intro of powerful guitar riffs and relentless drum beats, the track exudes an air of ambiguity, making it unpredictable in nature while remaining unmistakably Robert Smith in style and delivery. The voice of the charismatic frontman doesn’t appear until almost three-and-a-half minutes in, but the words instate the next chapter as one filled with immense promise.
“This is the end of every song we sing,” Smith intones with his signature emotional intensity, his melancholic poetry surfacing even more vividly in the next line: ”the fire burned out to ash, and the stars grow dim with tears”. The overwhelming energy set by the long, swirling intro flows seamlessly into Smith’s vocal delivery as the track evolves into an ambient yet darkly compelling atmosphere.
Creating the song, Smith drew inspiration from the unsettling experience of uncertainty in relation to musical direction. He knew how he wanted Songs of a Lost World to feel, sound, and even look—but crafting the ”right opening song” proved to be a challenge. The moment when he came up with ‘Alone’, however, it was like the entire tracklisting materialised in an organic, almost obvious manner.
”[I had] this nagging feeling that I already knew what the opening line should be,” the frontman explained, and the one that appears with contemplation about the end of the beginning signified a seismic shift in Smith’s ability and desire to constantly keep pushing and moving while maintaining a heavy grasp of what made The Cure resonate all those years ago.
As the track unravels, the song almost takes on a celebratory tone, which doesn’t seem all that surprising considering how Smith has always dedicated himself to the darker, more sinister aspects of existence. “We toast with bitter dregs to our emptiness,” he sings, proving that nothing has changed except everything—The Cure emerged as a gothic entity fearless against the waves of turmoil and struggle, but this time around, this is a strength rather than a part of a broader observation.
After 16 years, ‘Alone’ offers a glimpse into The Cure’s next chapter—one shaped by a longing for a place to call home, yet ruled by an eternal search for answers to life’s unpredictable mishaps. Despite the darkness, the song suggests that love persists and flourishes in those shadows. And, above all, it proves that The Cure remains a band unafraid to take risks, continuing to explore the complex intersections of life, love, death, and despair; often all intertwined.
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.