Dear listener, this week I’m going to be putting focus on my personal favorite living male vocalist, Chino Moreno, and his Deftones side-project, Crosses (hereto regarded as †††). The vocalist I’m well familiar with, as I’ve been listening to his majestic vocal cords for over two decades. Chino has been an integral part of a few notable side-projects in his time, my favorite being his work with a one-off experimental rock group called Team Sleep. ††† is a duo I initially farted at when I heard some of their work a decade ago. I was content to say, “That was just OK”, and leave them in the rear-view mirror. However, upon a second, third and fourth examination over the years, I can tell you this duo is growing on me like a rare dark crystal in an underground cavern. Just upstairs, you’ll find the music video for their song Vivien from their 2022 EP Permanent Radiant, which is a soft wink to Britney’s “…Baby One More Time”. If you like it, join me downstairs for more.
Ostensibly started as experimental recordings with Chino’s childhood friend, this project was comparatively supposed to be minimalistic and calming next to the Deftones and their generally blunt and aggressive sound. Unlike Deftones, ††† ventures into dark wave territory, and even wanders into ‘witch house’, that being electronic tunes that are heavy on gothic and occult themes. Lush, moody, seductive and underpinned with dream pop and trip-hop styles, this is pop music with some very dreary undertones. A lot of their catalog is Chino vocalizing over what are essentially hip-hop beats, and if it truly can be classified as ‘gothic’, their music absolutely represents the tip of the spear in modern gothic rock. And folks, I HATE listening to most gothic songs like I hate filling out federal paperwork, which would explain why I wasn’t too-too keen on their vibe early-on. If you have trouble interfacing with their sound at first, I was right there with you once upon a time. This group makes melodies that, for me anyway, have taken a significantly long time to properly digest. But damn, I sure am glad I kept going back for more samples! Some of the very best bands out there are the ones that get better every time you listen to their work, and I am elated to report that ††† is one of those bands. My second favorite feature of this group is their drive to deliver something totally experimental to the ears of their audience. My number one favorite feature of this group, is, of course, Chino’s voice. He’s got a dramatic tenor with an incredible range, and I know it’s highly subjective, but I’ve seen this man perform live several times and he manages to hit notes that sound downright and distinctively alien to my ears. While perhaps not the best ‘singer’ on a technical level, his distinguishing and emotive vocals come with a reported 4.5 octave range, which puts him head and hair wax above about 90% of other male singers in terms of natural ability. Just down below, you’ll find Bitches Brew from their 2014 self-titled album. Smash play, enjoy, and far more tunes to come this year, my friends!
Although not necessarily my cup of tea, I’ll always take a side-project from my favorite male vocalist with a smile and open arms. If you enjoy this group, you should check out Team Sleep, which in my humble opinion is the superior product of any of Chino’s side-projects. Image source: https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/crosses-chino-moreno-shaun-lopez-interview-goodnight-delete-robert-smith-el-p-3513976