There’s a strange kind of beauty that only grows in the dark—and that’s exactly where The Spikes found their footing. Their new LP, First Light, feels less like an album and more like a cinematic awakening; a poetic unraveling of emotion, instinct, and memory that glows faintly in the shadows.
Across eight tracks, the band blends ethereal production with grounded storytelling, creating something intimate yet otherworldly. It’s not the type of record chasing pop sheen or perfection—it leans into imperfection, into atmosphere, and the spaces between.
At the center of First Light is “Garden Song,” a haunting love ballad that finds frontman Iago exploring the quiet security of being seen and safe in another’s arms. It’s a song that breathes—slow, aching, and cinematic in its simplicity. The accompanying video, directed by Michael Haussman (Madonna, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake), captures this sentiment on screen with tender honesty. Set in a Roman neighborhood café, it transforms into a visual ode to connection—where faces of all ages and walks of life blur the lines of what love looks like.
“Garden Song is probably the most classic track I’ve written,” Iago shares. “At the time, those feelings of love and safety were very strong. No matter what happens out there, there’s always safety in each other’s arms—or each other’s garden.”
Elsewhere on the record, The Spikes push deeper into emotional and sonic exploration. “Dancing (In the Palm of My Hand)” channels Gatsby’s misunderstood longing, “Sapling Tree” captures the loneliness of travel and transformation, and “Electric Cannibal” sharpens the album’s edge with biting satire. Even in its quietest moments, First Light carries a pulse—a reminder that vulnerability can be its own form of rebellion.
“This is an album of ethereal beauty,” Iago says. “It’s stripped back and quieter than my previous work, but also more layered and complex.” That duality—fragility meeting force—sits at the heart of what makes First Light so striking.
With each listen, the record unfolds like a diary written in disappearing ink. It doesn’t demand understanding; it invites feeling. There’s no resolution here, only resonance—a space where listeners can place their own stories inside the sound.
The Spikes’ First Light is a rare gem: unsettling yet tender, cinematic yet intimate. It doesn’t just mark a new chapter for the band—it feels like the start of something luminous rising from the dark.
FIRST LIGHT LP Tracklisting:
(Focus Track: “Garden Song”)
- Sapling Tree
- Garden Song
- Set Me Free
- Jungle Boy
- By the Moors
- Dancing (In the Palm of My Hand)
- Electric Cannibal
- My Fair Love
For more information and to connect with The Spikes, please visit Website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify.
About The Spikes
Iago Haussman, known professionally as The Spikes, is a genre-defying singer-songwriter, poet, and painter. Born and raised in Rome, Italy, fluent in Italian, Iago brings a cinematic sensibility to his work, shaped by a childhood spent on film sets and a lifelong immersion in the arts.
The Spikes’ debut self-titled LP introduced listeners to his minimalist yet emotionally charged sound. His breakout single, “Guns for the Children”—a stark meditation on violence and lost innocence—released in June 2025, quickly gaining traction, with the accompanying music video at over 30,000 views on YouTube. He followed with “Dancing (In the Palm of My Hand),” a hypnotic exploration of fragility and control, whose video is now nearing 40,000 views.
More than a music project, The Spikes is an evolving artistic identity. Iago’s multidisciplinary work—across music, visual art, and literature—reflects a cohesive aesthetic that is poetic, unflinching, and deeply human. He has exhibited paintings in galleries and is preparing to release his second book of poetry with select pieces performed at live readings, and co-founded the punk band Delicate Prey at age 16.
Splitting his time between the U.S. and Berlin, The Spikes will release new singles throughout summer 2025, leading up to his eight-track LP, First Light set for release on October 31, 2025.
