The Cure have once again proven their knack for cryptic allure, dropping enigmatic breadcrumbs teasing the next chapter in their storied career. This time, it comes in the form of a tantalizing clip for the song “Alone,” which is likely to be the first single from their long-awaited new album Songs of a Lost World. For those who’ve been following their sprawling 2022-2023 tour, “Alone” was the curtain-raiser for their live set—a brooding, slow-burner that immediately cast a lunar shadow over the night.
The band, ever the purveyors of mystery, shared parts of the clip via their mailing list and WhatsApp channel, with subscribers receiving a message containing the ominous lyric, “This is the end of every song we sing.” Then, in a typically oblique fashion, another message arrived: “Want to hear ‘Alone?'” A simple “YES” sent fans spiraling into a digital scavenger hunt, leading them to return to the newly unveiled Songs of a Lost World website. With a few cryptic clicks—specifically once again changing the Roman numerals to the album’s release date, “I XI MMXXIV”—listeners were greeted with the stone-face image (which was previously used on tour badges and credentials during 2022 and 2023) this time accompanied by a snippet of Smith’s plaintive voice delivering those foreboding lyrics.
For those baffled by this multi-step journey, Brooklyn Vegan has pointed out that a Redditor has consolidated the clips:
Meanwhile, billboards promoting Songs of a Lost World have begun cropping up in cities around the globe, further cementing the sense that something monumental is on the horizon. The signs—literal and figurative—point toward GPS coordinates leading to a Tower in Robert Smith’s hometown of Blackpool, where it all began, and a November 1 release date. However, The Cure remains tight-lipped on confirming details. One can only hope that this cryptic campaign culminates in an album that lives up to the haunting mystique they’ve conjured so far. Stay tuned, because in true Cure fashion, the end is never really the end. ONWARDS.
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