Spike is the synth-pop project of Hannah McLoughlin. Spike’s self-titled debut album builds on a tradition of idiosyncratic British synth-pop, bringing to mind the cold-yet-intimate work of Rose McDowell, Chris & Cosey and Fad Gadget. Spike embraces McLoughlin’s talent for songcraft, merging undeniable hooks with a deep knowledge of leftfield synth music. Throughout these ten tracks, she moves between melancholic dream pop on Breaking the Wave, wiry synth-punk on Tiquetonne, hauntological textures on Dying on The Vine and hypnagogic city-pop on a reworking of Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London. 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. 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. 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 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 The Quietus and Loud and Quiet, 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.
