Hailing from New York City, Cults, the indie pop duo, continues to shape the contours of their genre with their latest release, To The Ghosts. This 13-track album crafts a dreamy, yet haunting landscape, inviting listeners to lose themselves in its dark, ethereal world. It’s a record that feels both gothic and holy, shrouded in an atmosphere that is as unsettling as it is mesmerizing.

To The Ghosts is not merely a collection of songs, but a cohesive experience. From the opening notes, Cults immerses you in a realm where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur. The album is fraught with experimental song formats that encourage deep listening, demanding your full attention to unravel its mysteries. Each track is a chapter in a shadowy storybook, with the instrumentation building a world around you, dense with atmosphere and emotion.

One standout track, Eat It Cold, highlights this narrative quality. The songwriting is akin to a dark tale, while the music constructs a chilling environment that envelops you completely. The way Madeline sings the lyrics, “We knew the family traditions / something was missing,” evokes an eerie essence of a Shirley Jackson story. The hook sends a shiver down your spine, holding you captive until the song’s end, when a wave releases you from its grasp. The experience is both haunting and exhilarating, a testament to Cults’ ability to conjure vivid auditory experiences.

The production on To The Ghosts is nothing short of phenomenal, showcasing a delicate balance between vocals and instrumentation. Honey is a prime example, where Madeline Follin’s voice rises with an almost angelic quality, surrounded by a halo of reverb that elevates it above the rest of the band. When the full instrumentation joins in, it doesn’t overshadow her voice but instead complements it, creating a harmonious blend.

Yet, the album is not without its flaws. While tracks like You’re in Love With Yourself, Honey, and Crybaby scratch that indie-pop itch, other songs fall short. Behave feels particularly out of place, with its distorted vocal layers and drum machine backdrop. It comes across as overly experimental, failing to evoke any significant emotion and disrupting the album’s otherwise cohesive flow.

Despite these missteps, To The Ghosts stands as a strong addition to Cults’ discography. It is an album that deserves multiple listens, each revealing new layers and nuances. The duo’s willingness to experiment with more intricate songwriting and adventurous soundscapes marks a maturity in their sound. They’ve crafted a shadowy, mystique-laden landscape that beckons you to explore its depths, deeper and deeper with each listen.

Order To The Ghosts by Cults HERE