The Spikes – First Light (2025)
Eager to explore the intricacies of human existence from the concrete physicality to the realms of abstract thought and emotion, all bundled in a sonic world born of darkness and light, confidence and fragility, bold abruptness and subdued hush – a world where everything and nothing is felt. With a unique interpretation of music and intimate experiences, The Spikes lead you out into something that only you can understand, but with their music leading the way. Join us as we delve into their EP, First Light.
The musical stylings of singer-songwriter Iago Haussman and producer/songwriter Maximillian G. Davies, First Light is an eight-track EP traversing the realms of indie-rock, alternative-pop, alternative-rock, folk and some grunge tossed in for good measure. Yet, while those genres are mentioned, they are merely for reference or a mild identification, as The Spikes bring an obscurity to each track, making the melody entirely their own.
For me, one element that offers consistency is the piano – whether it be the focus or an interspersed instrument peeping from the background. Shifting from the soothing of soft rock or the heaviness of rock-inspired tones, the piano carefully captures your heart. Interestingly, the instrumentation and arrangement are sophisticated and elegant, offering languid serenity in tracks like ‘Sapling Tree’ and ‘My Fair Love’; however, a sense of grittiness and obscurity oozes from the vocals, creating an off-kilter tilt within the mature melodies.
Tracks like ‘Sapling Tree’ and ‘Dancing (In The Palm Of My Hand)’ illustrate the calm gentleness of The Spikes’ alternative sound, but there is no means a simplicity and single-mindedness in First Light. ‘Set Me Free’ crashes with a weightier punk-tinged tone, while ‘Electric Cannibal’ has a distorted grunge showcasing the US-based lads’ multi-faceted personality.
Melodically and lyrically, First Light is a feast of obscurity, but we must remember that the sounds are not straightforward. Ian Hussman explains:
“This is an album of ethereal beauty. It is cinematic. It is an emotional and personal journey. Musically, it is more stripped back and quieter than my previous material, but it is also a lot more complex… I wanted each song to resonate not only emotionally but personally with the listener…. How I arrived at each song is my experience. The listener will feel their own experience in hearing it… I don’t want a song that is directing the listener with a message or a narrative storyline. My intention is for them to feel the emotion of the song… experience it, but interpret that into their own life…”
Find out more about The Spikes on their official website, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Dead Horse Branding.
