Cigarettes After Sex — NPR Tiny Desk, 2017

A live session filmed on December 13, 2017 for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk in Washington, this capture presents Cigarettes After Sex, the American band led by Greg Gonzalez, shortly after the release of its self-titled debut album. Described by NPR as one of the quietest Tiny Desks ever recorded, this intimate concert rests on a deliberate minimalism: Greg Gonzalez’s muted guitar, Phillip Tubbs’s synth pads and a whispered, almost spoken voice on the edge of a murmur. The band unfolds its ambient pop / dream pop ballads, including the opener “K.”, where limpid melodies and stripped-down lyrics create a nocturnal, sensual atmosphere. Filmed in broad daylight in the office setting of the Tiny Desk, the performance paradoxically reveals the full power of this chamber-like music, made of restraint and space. A reference filmed live concert to discover the hushed world of Cigarettes After Sex in 2017, to watch online and grasp the delicacy of a band that has become a cult favorite.