Written by Maeve Sterling
After sporadically releasing singles and EPs following their last major album, indie pop duo Cults dropped To the Ghosts in July 2024. A deluxe edition followed in September 2025, expanding the original 13 tracks with four more. Cults broke into the mainstream in 2020 when “Always Forever” from their 2013 album Static went viral on TikTok, becoming the anthem of codependent relationships. Avid listeners of Cults expect their soft-sung and atmospheric sound with simplistic instrumentals, and this album meets those expectations perfectly.
Much like the album cover, To the Ghosts feels mystified and shadowed. At times, Madeline Follin’s haunting vocals remind me why I still keep a nightlight and check the closet for monsters before bed. The lyrics may not be inherently unsettling, but I could picture any song on this album as the background theme to a romantic horror scene.
To my surprise, the first track, “Crybaby,” is also the most listened-to song, currently sitting at roughly 1.8 million streams on Spotify. I first noticed the interesting drum pattern, standing awkwardly alone until the introduction of a tambourine around the one-minute mark. Once the middle of the song finds its footing, the follow-through is extremely enjoyable.
Three very notable songs from the album, “Left My Keys,” “Onions,” and “Crystal,” share the same kind of romantic horror energy I mentioned above. It could be my deep, dark desire to be an extra in some type of high school slasher movie, but I wish these songs existed in the time of Carrie (1976) or Prom Night (1980) and could show off their upbeat sound with sinister undertones. Someday I will be the director of a terribly, historically inaccurate campy horror movie, mark my words.
“Leave Home” is one of the slower songs on the album and is largely unremarkable. It reminds me vaguely of Metric, but the comparison isn’t enough to connect me to this song. Although the lyrics are disappointingly lackluster, the instrumentals are strong enough to make it a fair listen even if it isn’t a standout. In addition, “Eat It Cold” drags on a bit too long, in my opinion, so it isn’t a go-to listen, but it has its place when hearing the album in order.
In preparation for this review, I visited the (extremely reliable) website albumoftheyear.org and conferred with fellow Cults connoisseurs about this part of the album. Contrary to other opinions, I enjoy the seventh track, “Honey,” quite a bit. Admittedly, it is much slower than the tracks that came before, but I admire the quick pick-up it takes in the final minute.
As the album begins to lose its momentum, “Knots” brings back the energy from the beginning at a much-needed time. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but this song feels like the quirky cousin of The Cranberries in the best way. The familial relations continue with “Behave,” which sounds like a matured older sister to “Hard Feelings” by Poppy. Although the genres may not be inherently similar, they feel like they could be related within a dreamlike consciousness.
I feel as if “Open Water” marks the beginning of the end of the album (excluding the deluxe tracks). The strongest part of the song is its calming outro, imbued with a devastating air of finality. The twelfth track, “Cells,” seems the most familiar to what audiences have heard from Cults so far. It recalls the feelings that “Always Forever” sparked in younger fans five years ago and creates a sense of nostalgia for longtime listeners.
“You’re In Love With Yourself” has lyrics that shine brightly in comparison to other songs on this release. Despite their simplicity, this is the only song that stood out to me lyrically, but it feels like the vocals are missing some much-needed emotion. I admire the way Follin’s voice can sound simultaneously robotic and human, but I wish there was more power and emphasis in the words she sang, even without strong emotion.
The final track of To the Ghosts is “Hung the Moon.” Standing as the longest song on the album, I also believe it is the perfect closer. It combines everything I loved about this album: haunting vocals, ominous instrumentals, and tragic lyrics that remind me why I will continue to turn to Cults anytime I want to feel joyously tragic.
“Mark My Words,” “Compaction,” “Noises They Make,” and “Tiffany” are incredible additions to the sound cultivated over the 56-minute run time. I wish these four songs from the deluxe version had been included on the original release. Each of these songs was immediately added to my personal library because they encapsulate everything Cults bring to the table. I desperately hope they gain more momentum in the weeks following the deluxe release. It is both eerie and euphoric to just sit and let these songs consume you through headphones.
As a fan of this duo, I’m glad they are sticking with the raw sound that drew me to them in the first place, while also innovating both their lyricism and production. I can even sense a revival of 2010s psychedelic indie rock, something I’ve been desperately searching for. Unfortunately, some of the songs lack texture. As the album goes on, the sound grows more intriguing and subtly darker, making me wish the earlier tracks had the same tone. Despite this, each track is dissectible, and it’s clear how much effort the pair put into this release. I don’t believe this is a perfect album by any means, but I enjoyed my time spent listening to it and that’s all I can really ask for.
Favorite Tracks: “Left My Keys,” “Knots,” “Noises They Make”
7.5/10 ☆