The masterminds of Chino Moreno (Deftones) and Shaun Lopez (Far) known as ††† (Crosses) have unleashed PERMANENT.RADIANT, a 6 track EP that is filled with brooding moments accompanied with glorious beats.
A bit of history for those unfamiliar with ††† – Moreno and Lopez joined forces in 2011 and they have released † (EP 1), †† (EP2), and in 2014 their self-titled album †††.
The duo returned in 2020 with a cover of Cause and Effect’s “The Beginning of the End” and “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzaurus.
Which leads us to PERMANENT.RADIANT.
As I have said earlier, PERMANENT.RADIANT is filled with brooding moments accompanied with glorious beats.
Kicking off the EP is “Sensation”. My favourite thing about this track is the booming and thunderous bass and bass drums. They bring an element of doom that is the twin flame to the soft hopefulness in Moreno’s voice.
“Vivien” gives me Depeche Mode vibes, specifically around their Playing the Angel era. The booming and thunderous bass and bass drums are back and hook me in, but it’s Moreno’s voice and the lyrics that keep drawing me back to this track again and again. Moreno’s voice is haunting and the chorus is infectious and catchy.
For me, the track “Cadavre Exquis” could be a Deftones track. There is familiarity to Moreno’s vocals and to the music of the track. The track feels like you’re coming home to an old friend.
“Day One” is the most up-tempo track on the EP. It’s fun, upbeat, and an absolute banger. It gives me bassy booms, airy vocals, and clapable beats. As it is summer here in Australia as I write this, this song is the essence of that summer gold.
Bringing the golden mood of summer back down, “Holier” returns us to the brooding boom of the bass and haunting vocals of Moreno. This is another track that gives me Depeche Mode vibes. There are moments where Moreno’s vocals channel that Dave Gahan confident swagger that pierce the heart of the listener and force them to face the demons within.
Rounding out PERMANENT.RADIANT is “Procession”. I feel that “Procession” is the sister track to “Sensation”. It has a softer yet similar vibe as its predecessor. You’ve got boomy bass and beats, but the synths stand out the most in this track. The synth feels as if you are floating through a 8-bit video dreamscape.
PERMANENT.RADIANT is a wonderful 6 song collection of thunderous bass, dreamy synths, and haunting vocals and a must listen for all.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Day One” and “Vivien”
Watch the “Initiation” / “ Protection” / PERMENANT.RADIANT EP Video Series below
“Initiation”
“Protection”
“Vivien”
“Sensation”
“Holier”
Band Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner
