The night I discovered Cigarettes After Sex, I remember being lulled by the sound, listening to the entire album in rapture, unable to pull away. The band’s debut album, spearheaded by frontman Greg Gonzalez, explores an elemental, hazy and almost celestial soundscape. Each of the 10 tracks is sonically synonymous, but individually they underline a unique approach to dream pop as a genre. The collective was catapulted into international fame when their debut EP, I., blew up online in 2016, four years after it was launched. And since then, Cigarettes After Sex has stealthily seeped into nightclubs, living rooms and college dorms alike, finding home everywhere. Their music has often been referred to as ‘sound you can fall asleep to,’ and the eponymous album has songs that conjure up a dreamy haze, punctuated by carefully-considered washes of guitar and swells of a synthesizer. Numbers such as Apocalypse and K. are cinematic and draw heavily from Greg’s own memories—a practice intrinsic to his creative process. The lyrics, though deeply personal, could almost describe a moment in anybody’s life, or remind you of that night you spent in the arms of a long-lost lover, seeped in the effervescent feeling of falling in love.
I connect with Greg Gonzalez amidst his world tour, and together we trace his beginnings in music, the things that led him to Cigarettes After Sex and the band’s debut gig in India. He navigates through memories of old Casio keyboards, his first song and a nonchalant habit of a lover that inspired the name of the band.
Greg Gonzalez
Let’s go back to the beginning—how and when did your romance with music begin?
It began when I was very young. Thriller came out the same year I was born and I was obsessed with it. I remember listening to the beige cassette tape endlessly, being frightened and delighted by it. It opened up my imagination and made me want to become a performer. Then at the age of 10, I got my first guitar and immediately started writing songs.
I remember very early on trying to make songs on Casio keyboards that were lying around the house. I recall writing my first official song when I got my first guitar. It was just an instrumental song called The Ocean. I performed it for my family after completing it.
When did you decide on the kind of music you wanted to create? Was there a moment when you thought you had found your sound?
I had been trying out every kind of sound you can think of, moving through different phases over and over. At some point, the music I was listening to made the deepest impact on me and started to really come together and give me a sound that I could call my own. The moment happened when we recorded our first EP in 2012.
One song that left an indelible effect on you?
Maybe Elvira Madigan by Mozart. The Cleveland Orchestra version, specifically. I heard it at a young age and to this day I still marvel at its complete perfection.
Your three greatest idols—musically or otherwise?
I’d say, Francoise Hardy. Her voice and the beauty and feeling of her music are great influences on the sound of the group. Miles Davis, for his genius at assembling ensembles of excellent players and the identity all of his music, has, as eclectic as it can be. And Erik Satie. His music has this quality of sounding like it could be very ancient or also very modern at the same time.
What led to the debut album? Take me through the inspiration and influences.
As a writer, you always want to finish a more substantial or major work. It had been on my mind since we released the 2012 EP and we had taken a few tries at it with different players and in different locations, but nothing ever felt right. Finally, we recorded the song Affection in Brooklyn in the summer of 2015 and the idea of the LP became clear at that moment. That song formed the basis and provided the template for the process and sound of the LP.
Your songs draw heavily from your personal experiences. How difficult or easy is it to channel your memories into your craft?
It’s essential to my writing process. I just feel much more passionate and excited by writing about real moments I’ve had the pleasure of living through.
What led to the debut album? Take me through the inspiration and influences.
As a writer, you always want to finish a more substantial or major work. It had been on my mind since we released the 2012 EP and we had taken a few tries at it with different players and in different locations, but nothing ever felt right. Finally, we recorded the song Affection in Brooklyn in the summer of 2015 and the idea of the LP became clear at that moment. That song formed the basis and provided the template for the process and sound of the LP.
Your songs draw heavily from your personal experiences. How difficult or easy is it to channel your memories into your craft?
It’s essential to my writing process. I just feel much more passionate and excited by writing about real moments I’ve had the pleasure of living through.
What led to the name Cigarettes After Sex?
The name is based off a friends-with-benefits relationship I had a while ago. The girl I was with used to smoke after we were together and got me into the habit as well. I found that I really enjoyed the feeling of that ritual. One night we had been together and were smoking, and the name just flashed across my mind.
Cigarettes After Sex explores every nuance and facet of love. Is there a specific reason the album is so romantically-charged?
I just felt I couldn’t name many records that were strictly about romance in the way I wanted to hear it, and it’s honestly just the subject I find the most delight writing about.
This is your first gig in India. What are your expectations? Are there any Indian artists who have caught your attention?
I definitely expect to meet a lot of passionate fans. The Indian fans we speak with online and at shows are some of our most adoring fans and we truly appreciate them. And yes I’ve also loved a lot of Indian music growing up. Ananda Shankar’s first self-titled album is a favourite, and also R.D. Burman’s score for Shalimar is amazing.
What does 2018 hold for you?
You’ll definitely see us playing many more shows in many more places around the world next year. We’re also currently working on a follow up to our first LP, so we should have some more music coming out very soon.
Text Ritupriya Basu