Cults are from Brooklyn, NYC. They are Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin. Their self-titled debut album was one of my personal highlights of 2011 and judging by the critical acclaim, the Youtube views and the generated hype around Cults, I was not alone.
"I Can Hardly Make You Mine" - the first release off their upcoming sophomore Static - pleasantly surprised me. But "High Road" made me ecstatic. The almost childish vulnerability of Madeline Follin's vocals, emerging from a wall-of-sound, the underlying throbbing bass and tense piano, which gradually build up to a brilliant culmination, those comprise the perfect emotional and musical storm that is "High Road". The track still displays Cults' distinguishing noisy-melodic garage-cute gloom, but here they are more alluring than ever.
Though not entirely 'indie' - they signed to Columbia Records right after the first EP - Cults are perfectly adequate to the vibe of the genre, and far more distinguishable than most self-released acts. This track alone is enough to make me anxiously anticipate October 15, official release date for Static.

posted by Iva
September 2013