They stared at each other. The motel’s radiator clanked. On the nightstand, a phone screen glowed with the paused album cover—the blurry, intimate black-and-white photo of a couple in bed.
When you're in the market for a "X's Zip" hoodie or any other Cigarettes After Sex item, keep these tips in mind:
Their debut EP, I. , was released in 2012, featuring the sleeper hit “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby,” which later gained widespread recognition through commercial licensing . The band’s self-titled debut studio album followed in June 2017 to positive reviews .
The band’s official merchandise, available through the Partisan Records online store, includes a wide range of apparel and accessories:
Hoodies are a staple of the band's apparel collection. The official merchandise store and concert venues often feature hoodies with the band's logo and designs inspired by their music. Reports from their 2025 Jakarta concert, for example, mentioned hoodies being sold for Rp 1,300,000 (approx. $80 USD). In terms of specific designs, the "Heavenly Hoodie" has been listed among their official merchandise, and the "Slow Static Hoodie" is another example, described as a unisex garment made from a cotton-polyester blend with a brushed fleece interior and a 320–350 GSM weight for warmth and comfort. Cigarettes After Sex X--39-s Zip
The lead single, "Tejano Blue," explicitly pays homage to Gonzalez’s formative years in El Paso, Texas, introducing a swinging Tejano-inspired bassline played by Randall Miller that brings an unexpected warmth to their melancholy style. Official X's Tracklist Summary
X's has been described as a musical equivalent to watching old home movies shot on a Super 8 camera—nostalgic, slow, and intimate. The production sticks strictly to the Cigarettes After Sex formula:
The phenomenon of Cigarettes After Sex (CAS) is often described not just as music, but as a specific atmospheric "zip"—a self-contained, compressed aesthetic that has remained remarkably consistent since Greg Gonzalez founded the band. To understand this "zip" is to understand the power of sonic minimalism and the allure of curated melancholy. The Sonic Architecture: Stillness as Substance
Websites like Pitchfork, Stereogum, and NME often feature reviews and interviews with artists, which can provide deeper insights into their work. They stared at each other
Continues the themes of intimacy and longing, maintaining the slow-burn pop style.
If you have landed on this page, you are likely a fan of the ambient, slow-core dream pop band . You’ve listened to Apocalypse on repeat. You have cried to Sweet . But your search history contains a curious string of characters: "Cigarettes After Sex's Zip."
hoodie. It perfectly matches the breathy, ethereal vibes of the new album. If you've been reliving every stage of heartbreak through Greg Gonzalez's lyrics, this is the essential layer for your next 'main character' moment." Key Product Details from the Collection: Official Items : The current store features an X's Ladies Crop T-Shirt and various Unisex Pullover Hoodies Album Inspiration : The title
The opening track, "X's," sets the stage for the album's thematic journey. It is a song that balances the thick, warm bass tones with a sense of wistful nostalgia. Lyrics and Meaning When you're in the market for a "X's
: The title track and opener, described as a "mirrorball slow dance" through memories of new love.
The album consists of ten tracks that blend ambient pop with shoegaze elements.
"You held my hand in the back of the taxi / You said forever tastes like smoke / Now I’m standing in your empty closet / Counting the buttons you left broke."
Inside were nine audio files. No titles, just timestamps. The first one started with a hiss—the sound of a room, a distant highway, a breath. Then a guitar, slow and dripping reverb like honey off a spoon. A voice, barely above a whisper, began to sing: