Cry Cassette

"I've always avoided studios," says Cigarettes After Sex frontman Greg Gonzalez. "There's something special about recording out in the world, some kind of X-factor that comes from the character and atmosphere of wherever it is that you're working that becomes essential to the feeling of the music."

That marriage of sound and setting is the heart and soul of Cry, Cigarettes After Sex's riveting sophomore album. Recorded in a stunning house on the Spanish island of Mallorca, the collection reflects the uneasy beauty, erotic longing, and stark minimalism of the space, all smooth lines and soft light. Energized by the fresh palette and setting, Gonzalez would write songs just minutes before recording them with the band—drummer Jacob Tomsky, bassist Randy Miller, and keyboardist Phillip Tubbs. He engineered and produced the sessions himself, with an emphasis on capturing live performances and exploring the material together in dialogue with the house and with each other.