While most living things reach toward sunlight for growth, The Spikes’ debut LP, First Light, finds its roots in the shadows. This evocative collection of eight tracks is born from a poetic process—one that creates its own energy and transforms darkness into a space for reflection and metamorphosis. Steeped in tension, instinct, and emotional residue, First Light drifts through fragments of memory, romantic unraveling, and the strange beauty found in half-lit moments.
At the heart of the album lies the focus track and centerpiece, “Garden Song.” This ballad captures the rare comfort and safety discovered in another’s embrace. Rather than chasing perfection, First Light leans into its raw edges, atmospheric layers, and the spaces between. The LP is accompanied by a striking music video for “Garden Song,” expanding the song’s emotional reach and universal message.
Stream “First Light” [HERE]
First Light follows two recent singles: “Dancing (In the Palm of My Hand)” and “Sapling Tree.” Both tracks feature visually compelling videos directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Haussman (Madonna, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake), further establishing The Spikes’ stark visual world and poetic storytelling.
Frontman Iago describes the album as “ethereal beauty—cinematic, emotional, and deeply personal. Musically, it’s more stripped back and quieter than my previous work, but also more complex, layered, and atmospheric.”
“Garden Song” stands as the album’s emotional anchor. “I set out to write a traditional and honest love song—my own interpretation of what’s classic and timeless,” Iago shares. “At the time, the feelings of love and safety were very strong. No matter what happens in the world, there’s always safety in each other’s arms. Or each other’s Garden.”
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The accompanying music video deepens this sentiment, placing “Garden Song” in a universal context. Set in a Roman neighborhood social club café, the video features faces of all ages and backgrounds, celebrating love’s ability to transcend boundaries. “It becomes a love song with no boundaries of age, race, sex, or class,” Iago explains. “It’s odd, sometimes weird, but ultimately very touching as I sing to old ladies and old men—not just the young.”
The album’s emotional range is further expanded by tracks like “Dancing (In the Palm of My Hand)”—inspired by the misunderstood yearning of The Great Gatsby—and “Sapling Tree,” which explores the loneliness and inspiration found in travel and the journey of life. Iago’s songwriting process, influenced by the Random Selection cut-up method used by William Burroughs and David Bowie, brings unpredictability and depth to every lyric.
From the storytelling of “By the Moors” to the satirical edge of “Electric Cannibal,” First Light explores intimacy, destruction, delusion, and longing. Each song invites listeners to interpret the emotions and stories through their own lens, rather than following a set narrative.
“First Light doesn’t offer resolution—it offers resonance,” Iago concludes. “I want listeners to feel the emotion, experience it, and make it their own. This is music that doesn’t just speak—it stays with you.”
First Light LP Tracklisting:
- Sapling Tree
- Garden Song (Focus Track)
- Set Me Free
- Jungle Boy
- By the Moors
- Dancing (In the Palm of My Hand)
- Electric Cannibal
- My Fair Love
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