A collaborative project headed by Chino Moreno of Deftones and Shaun Lopez of Far, Crosses (stylised as †††) have been mostly dormant since 2014. On Christmas Eve of 2020 and 2021, however, the band reemerged with two covers of ‘80s synth-pop tracks, as if to further iterate the direction the project was heading in.
Erring closer to the darker corners of ‘90s-era Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails at their most approachable, the band’s fourth EP ‘Permanent.Radiant’ is an often engrossing, if a little familiar, plunge into a world of dreamy textural nuance of the kind its creators have become renowned for.
Moreno’s lyrics have long been feted for, as they were once described, “suggesting emotions rather than announcing them”.
This technique is on full display here. Procession is a quintessential Moreno fantasia, while Vivien conjures a thrilling story of a lake spirit, with impressionistic details added about “lights from the highway shining shapes on you”.
While Moreno’s lyrics are as enthralling as ever, the music of ‘Permanent.Radiant’ isn’t always as betwitching. In the positive column, Vivien pulsates with dark, moody energy, as does the M83-like Procession.
Other cuts, such as Cadavre Exquis and Day One, however, feel a little thin, lacking textural intrigue and depth. Day One actually sounds like a soundtrack to an instalment of the FIFA game series. Mostly, though, for fans of these musicians’ distinct and oneiric vision, ‘Permanent.Radiant’ contains enough alluring riches to dive deep into.
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