Juntos en el cementerio
Aquí con mis abuelos
Damos bienvenida a los espíritus queridos
Rezamos, recordamos familia
Direct from the spectral coastal haze of Oxnard, California, comes ‘Gothic Soul’ purveyors The Crystal Tears, conjure a haunting synthesis on their self-titled debut album (out now via YAY! Records). Comprised of the label’s resurrected or formerly lost alumni: Cheyne Castroni (Maria), Héctor Soto (The Avocados), Hekar Rivera (studio engineer), and the elusive Bello (Maria founder, YAY! Records head), the band, initially called Los Bellos, crystallizes a moody soundscape of profound emotional resonance. Joining them are vocalist Naomi Fuentes and drummer Nesta Rivas, completing a lineup steeped in brooding nostalgia and cultural introspection.
Blending lush melancholia and Chicano soul, the band weaves echoes of Sunny Ozuna’s timeless grace with shadowy threads of Gothic Cumbia, darkwave currents, and delicate dreampop flourishe reflecting the deeper, introspective contours of the Chicano psyche.
Opening with the stirring instrumental, Eternal Dusk (Part 1), Rivera’s evocative strings swell, setting an emotional tone that permeates the entire record.
Lead single Solo Yo vividly illustrates despair’s solitude, narrating a life drifting from youthful innocence into choking isolation. Fuentes’ ethereal voice drifts gracefully above rich, Cocteau Twins-inspired guitars, crafting a ghostly yet beautiful dialogue of inner turmoil and existential fragility. Vampiro rises dramatically from twilight corners into passionate immortality. Here, The Crystal Tears lean boldly into their Chicano heritage, interweaving playful, sensual rhythms and bilingual chants, celebrating a love that defies mortality itself. Eerie screeches, operatic vocals and sinister laughter punctuate this nocturnal anthem, enriching the haunting melody with a palpable longing.
Es Halloween transforms existential angst into festive liberation. Costumed lovers shed societal constraints in playful escapism; a kaleidoscopic celebration embracing boundless freedom and whimsical self-discovery. Percussion, sax, and creepy organ music shimmers through this delightful gothic pop melody, evoking autumnal nostalgia and romantic innocence. The song brings to mind the effervescent wackiness of Lene Lovich and Kate Bush as well as a whisper of…yes, Madness.!
Día De Los Muertos tenderly embraces ancestral remembrance, invoking familial bonds through ceremonial offerings of pan dulce, photographs, and bittersweet memories. Harmonies intertwine gracefully with those melancholic strings, turning the cemetery into a sacred gathering place of cyclical beauty and poignant spiritual reconnection. The heartfelt and romantic Por Eternidad offers gentle affirmations of eternal devotion. Repetitive vocal refrains gracefully underscore unending affection, dancing through dreams and realities alike; an eternal embrace celebrated through intricate instrumentation and passionate sincerity.
The album breaks with Part 2 of Eternal Dusk, another instrumental. With Sueño Azul, regret and nostalgia intertwine like seaside mist, reflecting upon past loves through melancholic lenses. The lyrical vulnerability is striking, pairing reflections of youthful indiscretions with emotive instrumentation, capturing the spectral longing of memories colored in shades of somber blue. Jasmine Flowers drifts dreamily through bittersweet reverie, its intoxicating fragrance lingering like fading nostalgia. Gentle strings and understated percussion cradle the lyrical reflection on past joys, highlighting disillusionment while celebrating life’s ephemeral beauty, even amidst poignant disappointment.
Closing the emotional arc, Of You charts a journey from profound heartache towards self-reliant clarity. The song moves compellingly beyond tears and despair, with vocals boldly affirming independence, resilience, and the bittersweet liberation that follows heartbreak.
With this mesmerizing debut, The Crystal Tears traverse shadowy corridors of sorrow, love, and heritage, creating a striking blend of soulful introspection and goth-inflected grace, delicately painting the darker realms of the heart, one beautifully melancholic note at a time.
Build your ofrenda and listen to The Crystal Tears below. You can order the album here.
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