In October 2019, US dream pop duo Cathedral Bells gave fans a taste of their upcoming album when they released a new single ‘Ephemeral’. The track gave everyone everything they’d hoped for with a hazy throwback to 90s dreampop and shoegaze, all the while still showcasing the band’s gift for a vaguely gothy melody.

Another new single, ‘Ephemeral’ essentially brings more of the same, but actually sounds even better as the band have really nailed an early Cure sound by melding a Simon Gallup-esque bassline to a shimmering guitar. It could never be accused as being a straight rip of anything from ‘Faith’ or ‘Seventeen Seconds’, though, as once the vocals appear and the tune rattles along apace, listeners are just as likely to hear elements from early New Order, in particular tunes like ‘Age of Consent’. The way Cathedral Bells are able to take two or three key 80s influences and recycle them in the present in a way that still sounds energized and exciting should be commended, of course, and in ‘Ephemeral’, they’ve released one of their best tracks to date.

Take a listen below…