Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete＜限定盤＞

Almost a decade since the release of their first effort, time and experience have softened Crosses bite. On Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete., the pair (Fars Shaun Lopez and Deftones Chino Moreno) dig deeper into their electronic sides, embracing synth pop, new wave, and goth influences. Less crunch, fewer guitars, and barely any screaming -- its like Trent Reznor, Thom Yorke, and Sade formed a supergroup. Whereas their self-titled debut might be categorized as a "Deftones Lite" exercise, this sophomore set finally sounds like a truly separate entity. Moody as ever, the album is set to chilly synths and cold soundscapes, diving into an even darker chasm. Descending into shadowy club territory on opener "Pleasure," a skittering beat and jagged synth stabs are enveloped by a spacious, atmospheric bubble as Moreno intones a sultry "Pleasure, pleasure, pleasure." The sparse "Invisible Hand" sounds like it could be a sweet pop ditty with its melodic chorus, but with a repetitive vocal sample strung throughout the track, it ends up being anxiety-provoking and utterly unnerving. That interplay, between the sensual and discomfiting, makes for an engaging listen -- and the listener cant really predict what Lopez and Moreno will do next. In addition to highlights such as the ominous "Pulseplagg" and sprawling "Grace," Goodnight also features appearances by Run the Jewels El-P on "Big Youth" and Cure frontman Robert Smith on "Girls Float † Boys Cry." Moving way beyond their debut, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. is the sound of artistic maturation and sonic expansion, a logical culmination of what they were trying to do in the first place. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

デフトーンズのチノ・モレノとマルチ・インストゥルメンタリストのショーン・ロペスによるユニットのセカンド・アルバム。エレクトロ色の強いトラックはそのままにリズムを強調した多彩な楽曲を収録。相変わらず一筋縄ではいかない独自の曲世界を優雅に泳ぐチノの歌い回しは絶品だ。また、ラン・ザ・ジュエルズのエル・P、キュアーのロバート・スミスとの共演曲も必聴。
bounce (C)荒金良介