Welsh singer Cate Le Bon continued in the dreamy hypnagogic disco vein on Michelangelo’s Dying after 2022’s Pompeii – perhaps inspired by her namesake Simon le Bon of Duran Duran fame. The album was recorded in the Joshua Tree desert. The main limitation is that the cybernetic mutant pop has been done before and the tedious, dreamy atmospheres and spokesing delivery doesn’t add much to the existing formula. Thematically, the album deals with breakup though the emotions are buried in the swirls of keyboards and vocal manipulation.
The centrepiece is the polyrhythmic Love Unrehearsed inside a shimmering hall of reverb. Meanwhile, Mothers of Riches sits on a Gary Numan-esque cadence. Is It Worth It is instead straightforward piano pop with added slide guitar and a call-and-response chorus, reminiscent of the atmosphere and melodies of John Lennon’s solo work. Body as A River is perhaps the most compelling story but wastes it on a rather uninventive and repetitive arrangement. Ride features John Cale at least has a haunting melody. About Time shimmers and echoes like a shoegaze number.
As on the previous album, the arrangements and melodies take a step back in favour of the sound design, which is really the only reason to listen to the album (most effective on I Know What’s Nice). However, anyone with sufficient resources can gain access to an expensive studio. What matters is the content of these songs which is often sub-par.
Label: Mexican Summer
Released: September 26, 2025
Losing My Edge Rating: 4/10
Best Tracks: I Know What’s Nice