Spike
- bizzarre
- 18 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Spike unveils "Event Horizon" single from upcoming self-titled debut album on Gob Nation Records.
Spike - the synth-pop project of London musician and composer Hannah McLoughlin - will release her eponymous debut album this Friday, 31st July via Gob Nation Records.
Spike builds on a tradition of idiosyncratic British synth-pop, bringing to mind the cold-yet-intimate work of Rose McDowall, Chris & Cosey and Fad Gadget. The project embraces McLoughlin’s talent for songcraft, merging undeniable hooks with a deep knowledge of leftfield synth music.
Having already released the singles "Disappear" and "Dying on the Vine", today Spike unveils "Event Horizon", a pounding, crystalline slice of dark synth-pop which draws on science fiction to express an intensity of emotion.
McLoughlin says:
“An Event Horizon is the edge of a black hole known as “the point of no return”. I used this to express how falling in love deeply can feel like a scary leap into the unknown. I made this song shortly after a night out dancing to drum and bass, so was in a breakbeat state of mind.”
Outside of Spike, McLoughlin is a film composer and experimental musician linked to Cafe OTO, the influence of which can be detected in the intricacy and invention of Spike’s self-production. Ghostly melodicas glide over driving drum samples, tape-loops of Mcloughlin’s flute playing flutter in the ether, church bells sound in the gaps between tracks. But, most impressively, these production choices enhance the pop-hook pleasure of the songcraft rather than simply add texture.
Lyrically, the album draws on science fiction to express an intensity of emotion. ‘Unending’ makes reference to Ursula Le Guin’s classic The Left Hand of Darkness, while ‘Event Horizon’ invokes the depthlessness of black holes to explore devotion. Classic British science fiction is also referred to sonically - most notably in the instrumental ‘Fortuna’ : a retro-futurist ode to the sci-fi compositions of synth pioneers Delia Derbyshire and Daphne Oram.
And yet, at other moments, Mcloughlin incorporates diametrically opposing sonic references: ‘No More’ finds her drawing on the minimalist folk sensibilities of Vashti Bunyan and Sibylle Baier. It is this originality, this sonic playfulness, which elevates Spike beyond homage, into a sound which is completely Mcloughlin’s own.
Since the release of her debut EP, Spike has supported John Maus, Geneva Jacuzzi, Riki, Sextile, Safe Mind, Night in Athens and Qual. She has received press from International media outlets and will be embarking on a tour with The Tubs in the autumn of 2026.
Released on Gob Nation Records, Spike’s debut album is the label’s first LP, with more in the works. The label, featured in The Guardian, continues to grow following increased attention around the collective, due to the success of The Tubs and the many Gob Nation shows at classic underground and DIY venues across London.
Live Dates
5th September - London - George Tavern (Album Launch)
27th September - Leeds - Brudenell Social Club^
29th September - Nottingham - The Bodega^
30th September - London - Scala^
1st October - Brighton - Chalk^
2nd October - Southampton - The Joiners^
3rd October - Norwich - Voodoo Daddy's Showroom^
^ with The Tubs
