Album Review: The Haunting of Us — BlakLight
Infectious Unease Radio & Subterranean Zone Radio
Ritual. Memory. Transmission.
This is Infectious Unease Radio
— Gordon, Voice in the Void
Artist Location: Los Angeles, California, USA 🇺🇸
Release Date: December 5, 2025
Genre Tags: Dark Synthpop · Darkwave · Electro Pop · Retrosynth · Electronic
BlakLight’s The Haunting of Us is a polished, emotionally charged dark-synthpop album that balances club-ready electronics with introspective lyrical themes. Hailing from Los Angeles, the trio—Adam Collier, Brian Belknap, and Omar Quiñones—deliver a sound rooted in classic European-style synth traditions and modern darkwave aesthetics, paired with cinematic production and emotionally driven songwriting.
The record thrives on sweeping pads, pulsing basslines, crisp programming, and expressive vocals. Brian Belknap’s performance anchors the album with a dramatic yet vulnerable tone, while layered hooks and shadow-soaked atmospheres give the album a distinctly contemporary identity rather than a retro pastiche.
Rather than resting on just a couple of obvious highlights, The Haunting of Us plays like a front-to-back statement—every track contributing to the album’s emotional weight and atmosphere. While the entire record holds up strongly, the title track “The Haunting of Us” stands out most for me personally, striking a deep chord with its sense of vulnerability and late-night introspection. That said, this is very much the kind of album where different songs will resonate with different listeners, depending on what they’re carrying with them at the time—whether shaped by past experiences, present struggles, or fleeting moments of reflection. What connects most strongly will shift from person to person, making the record feel personal, adaptable, and emotionally open rather than fixed to a single interpretation.
Guitar contributions from Pano Coromelas on select tracks add organic texture and urgency, subtly expanding the sonic palette without detracting from the album’s electronic core.
Tracklist
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Everything’s Gone Wrong — 4:15
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Cruel — 5:05
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Leave a Light On — 4:45
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Buried Alive — 5:05
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You Will Never Be Alone — 4:30
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The Haunting of Us — 4:25
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Blind Vision — 4:54
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Judas Kiss — 5:46
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Under the Surface — 5:54
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Suddenly It Falls Apart — 6:28
Personnel
BlakLight:
Adam Collier — Synthesizers & Programming
Brian Belknap — Vocals
Omar Quiñones — Backing Vocals & Synthesizers
Additional Credits:
Guitar on Leave a Light On & Suddenly It Falls Apart — Pano Coromelas
Cover Photograph — Kevin Collier
Layout — Brian Belknap
Overall Impression
The Haunting of Us stands as one of BlakLight’s most assured and emotionally immersive releases to date. Its blend of nocturnal atmosphere, melodic immediacy, and dancefloor-ready propulsion makes it ideal for late-night listening sessions, radio rotation, and alternative club playlists alike. For fans of contemporary dark synthpop and atmospheric electronic music, this is a compelling and scene-relevant album that rewards repeated listens.
Find BlakLight Online
Bandcamp (Album Page):
https://blaklight.bandcamp.com/album/the-haunting-of-us
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BlakLightband
Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/blaklightband
