The title of the album and its opening track, "X's," is a direct homage to the famous photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Bert Stern for Vogue in 1962. These images, captured just weeks before her death, featured red "X's" marked over the negatives Monroe did not approve of, symbolizing a mix of beauty, rejection, and finality.

As Greg Gonzalez’s androgynous, velvet voice filled the apartment, Elias finally opened the envelope. Inside was no letter, just a small, silver flash drive. When he plugged it in, a single folder appeared, titled with that same string of characters.

When you download or stream X's, you aren't just listening to songs; you are entering a specific emotional world. It is an album designed for solitude, headphones, and the quiet hours of the night. Whether you are a long-time follower of Gonzalez's work or a newcomer drawn in by the viral success of songs like "Apocalypse," X's offers a refined and heartbreakingly beautiful addition to the dream-pop canon. Share public link

The album blends 1970s and '80s slow-dance pop ballads with signature heavy reverb and Greg Gonzalez's androgynous, hushed vocals.

Cigarettes After Sex — X's (2024) Dream Pop / Slowcore ... - VK

(3:54) – A nod to Gonzalez’s youth in El Paso, incorporating subtle, swinging Texas-Mexican regional chord shapes into a bittersweet indie track.

: Unofficial rips are often low-bitrate recordings transcoded multiple times, stripping away the deep sub-bass and crisp ambient room textures central to the band's signature production style. Where to Stream and Purchase Legally

The "X" symbolizes the anonymity and universality of the band’s themes. Because the lyrics are often minimalist and the melodies repetitive, the listener can insert their own "X"—their own muse or memory—into the song. This has made the band a staple of "slowed + reverb" YouTube remixes and "aesthetic" playlists. Conclusion