A Haunting Glow in the Dark

Sugar Scars have returned with a single that feels less like a track and more like a spell. “Dark Charm” lives up to its name, weaving a sonic atmosphere that’s equal parts hypnotic and alluring. From the very first beat, the percussion pulls you in, steady, pulsating, and strangely ritualistic. Layered over it is a bassline that doesn’t just sit beneath the song; it stalks through it, shadowy and magnetic, compelling your body to move even as the mood stays steeped in gothic undertones.

What makes “Dark Charm” so striking is the way it balances contrasts. There’s a trance-like joy in its danceable rhythm, but it’s laced with something ghostly and bittersweet. Reverb-soaked vocals echo through the mix like distant calls in a cavern, creating a sense of space that’s vast, dreamlike, and slightly unsettling. It’s psychedelic, electronic, indie, and shoegaze all at once, yet somehow never feels cluttered. Instead, it’s meticulously crafted, polished, and seamless.

Sugar Scars’ refusal to put their image before their music makes the mystery even more potent. The song arrives as a doorway into a larger world, the upcoming album Dark Spark White Light, and if this first taste is any indication, listeners are in for a body-moving yet soul-haunting experience. “Dark Charm” isn’t just heard; it lingers, echoing in the bones long after the last note fades.