Tropic Of Cancer: The Sorrow Of Two Blooms (Blackest Ever Black)

If you’re wondering what it would sound like if The Cure had recorded Faith in 2011, wonder no more. Tropic Of Cancer recalls the proto-goth heyday of one of my favorite bands ever with this 3-song EP. This is both in execution and production, opting to use very simple, monotonous drum machine patterns (bass and snare only) alongside bass guitar and synth in very simple arrangements, with a healthy dose of reverb and vocals that float overhead like a phantom. This could be lazily enough lumped in with the nebulous “witch house” tag, but it definitely veers far enough into early 80s proto-goth that it doesn’t tie in as much as some write-ups might lead you to believe. In fact “Dive (Wheel Of The Law)” veers even further into the sublime, recalling the most ephemeral moments of early 4AD or perhaps Factory Records in its gloominess. What’s consistent is that all three tracks sound not of this time; it’s the ghostly twin of The Cure’s grey past come back to haunt, and I welcome it with open arms.

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Tropic of Cancer – A Color [Blackest Ever Black, 2011] by Blackest Ever Black