Back in October we wrote about Colombia-born, New York-based pop duo Salt Cathedral, describing how single ‘Complacent’ built upon the “sleek, sincere and surreal” sound of previous album CARISMA to offer “a sound as experimental as it is urgent” which “[led] the listener into the world of Salt Cathedral and demand[ed] they live life to the full.” The band have since announced their new album Before It’s Gone on Independent / The Orchard, with lead single ‘Terminal Woes’ doubling down on the urgency of the previous work. A cry against the corporate selfishness and greed driven by a marching rhythm which invited the audience to join Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada in their protest.
If ‘Terminal Woes’ encapsulated the themes of loss and our apparent inattention to what we are losing (which are central on Before It’s Gone), then new track ‘Off The Walls’ offers both a method for resisting such tragedies and a reminder of what is worth fighting for. A picture of human connection as something precarious, beautiful and hard won, capable of lifting individuals beyond their personal capabilities and transcending the hands they have been dealt. “This is the story of the evolution of me and Nico’s friendship,” as Ronderos explains. “It’s vulnerable. We’ve been making music together for ten years and we’ve finally found a balance in our personalities, learned how to deal with each other. This is an ode and a testament to our collaboration, our love, and the push and pull both musically and personally.”
Before It’s Gone is out on the 22nd March via Independent / The Orchard and you can pre-order it now from the Salt Cathedral Bandcamp page.
Photo by Cynthia Villamil