Photo credit: Raymond Flotat

80s goth rock icons The Cure are back with their latest single, “A Fragile Thing,” a somber ballad that embodies the group’s signature sound of longing and melancholy. The song possesses the romantic misanthropy The Cure is known for, with layered pianos, drums and synthesizers laying a foundation of morose reminiscence as Robert Smith laments with familiar emotional anguish, resigning to the inevitable deterioration of a relationship. He hauntingly declares, “There’s nothing you can do to change the end,” with a mix of fatalistic indifference and somber resignation.

The video is dark and minimalistic, serving more as a visual supplement than a full-fledged video production. It features a smoky black backdrop with the song’s lyrics reflected in ghostly bursts, mirrored around the screen, giving the feeling of being trapped in the repeating words inside the narrator’s mind.

This is just the latest single by the band since releasing their first track in 16 years just two weeks ago, causing speculation amongst fans of a potential upcoming album in the near future.

You can find the full video for “A Fragile Thing” below: