A Review of brandøn: 'Darkness'
It is a bold, shadowy debut statement that finds strength in vulnerability.
Turn the lights off. 'Darkness' by emerging electronic artist brandøn does not ask you to look away from the gloom, it asks you to walk through it, and what waits on the other side is the whole point. Heavy, atmospheric and unexpectedly hopeful, it is a single that rewards patience and a decent pair of speakers.
The track blends the shadowy textures of witch house with the immersive qualities of wave-inspired electronic music, building a brooding, cinematic soundscape around deep sub-bass, electronic synths and a powerful sense of tension. Nothing rushes. The low end has real weight, the synths hang like fog, and the dynamic range gives the track room to swell and recede, so the tension feels earned rather than manufactured. This is music designed to be experienced as much physically as emotionally.
A great deal of that depth comes from producer Peter Rubinstein, the London-based producer and engineer who executive produced, mixed and mastered the single. His credits include work associated with Trent Reznor, Skepta, Joji and Lorde, and he has a reputation for balancing underground intensity with contemporary clarity. Here he shaped the single's dynamic range and its deep sub-bass architecture, bringing weight and precision to the atmosphere. The final masters were completed at London's AIR Studios, adding another significant dimension to a release that marks a milestone for the artist.
For all its shadow, the song is about transformation. brandøn describes it as seeing the light at the end of the tunnel: from things going bad or wrong, you can grow stronger and turn them into your superpower, with hope always showing up at the end. Rather than dwelling in bleakness, his sound explores what can be found on the other side of it. His background in acting and a disciplined focus on physical embodiment feed directly into the music, shaping an approach built on presence, character and tension.
'Darkness' is the beginning of a wider project. Two further singles, 'Silence' and 'After Life', both produced by Rubinstein, were planned for November, continuing to explore isolation, internal control, emotional intensity and the strength that can emerge from hardship. His earlier singles, 'overdose', 'me n u forever' and 'breathe', laid the foundations of a style rooted in heavy atmospheres, dark textures and driving momentum. A Halloween video was planned to extend the track's visual identity, and live sets are set to begin in 2027.
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