Black Glow Premiere “Soma”; Waves and Mirrors – Mirrors and Waves Out June 3
Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on May 13th, 2026 by JJ Koczan
Black Glow release their debut album, Waves and Mirrors – Mirrors and Waves, on June 3. The Monterrey, Mexico, two-piece of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Gina Ríos (formerly of Spacegoat), and drummer Octavio Diliegros (also of post-black metallers Bry.ght, among others) issued their self-titled debut EP (review here) in 2023 and set forth on the moody, atmospheric course that the full-length sees to fruition. Over the eight songs and 43 minutes, the pair create a sound that’s kin to heavygaze but is more grounded and present in the moment. The heavy bottom-end of a cut like “Effortless,” lends gravity to the central strum and nod, hypnotizing through repetition of lyrics and dwelling in the riff in a way that feels ceremonial without cornball occult posturing.
Can you get to that? Here’s hoping. Below you’ll find “Soma” premiering as the second single extrapolated from Waves and Mirrors – Mirrors and Waves, soulful, melancholy, gorgeous and rumbling. As anyone who heard Spacegoat can tell you, Ríos is a genuine singer, whose voice is able to convey emotion through word and melody, and on “Soma” and at points throughout the album, Ríos and Diliegros are joined by Christian Peters (Fuzz Sagrado, ex-Samsara Blues Experiment) on guitar, organ and other synthy-type textures. Peters also mixed the album, and was responsible for the 2020 vinyl release of Spacegoat‘s lone LP, 2016’s Superstition (review here) through his Electric Magic Records imprint, so his working with Black Glow isn’t the first collaboration with Ríos either.
As Peters notes below, Waves and Mirrors – Mirrors and Waves highlights Ríos‘ vocals in its mix, and the psychedelic-leaning initial single “Obsidian” bears that out, to say nothing of the voice-over mellotron interlude “Desert Ghost” that begins the second half of the tracklisting ahead of the relative 
crush of “W.M.M.W.,” correspondingly hypnotic, immersive and weighted. The procession of the album, from the hard-drummed stomp of opener “Red Dandelions” to the finale “Odd Mass,” which is mostly faster and more emotionally urgent for that, pushing into oblivion, is varied but engrossing and drawn together by the overarching ambience and generally methodical delivery. Even unto the layered arrangement in the penultimate “Child in the Mirror,” Ríos‘ voice remains central, and yet the record is more than a showcase for what comes through as a refined natural talent (that is, both gifted and trained).
I think you can (and should!) hear that in “Soma,” and it comes through elsewhere as well, whether it’s the crunch of “Effortless” and “Child in the Mirror” which seems to push further along the same lines of melancholy while stripping away some of the layering to convey a more fragile presence, or the rolling fluidity of “Odd Mass” at the finish. As songwriter, guitarist, bassist, vocalist and keyboardist, Ríos is at the core of a lot of what’s happening throughout Waves and Mirrors – Mirrors and Waves, one way or the other — that’s not to downplay either Diliegros‘ drumming or Peters‘ work on guitar, etc., I’m just talking about the math and emotive crux of the thing — but Black Glow present a fullness of sound to dispel any notions of being a solo-project and give themselves a vibrant foundation on which to build as they move forward.
Obviously there’s a thread here, and the context of Ríos moving from Spacegoat to Black Glow is an important part of the story. What the two bands, former and current, share most in common is potential, and in that regard, Black Glow feels more open to a range of sounds and to adjusting the balance of elements in the songs, even on this first long-player. In some ways, it’s more mature in craft, but still feels — and, the EP notwithstanding, is — like the beginning of a journey rather than the arrival at a destination. I find myself hoping it’s precisely that as I write out the title in my notes among the best debut albums I’ve heard in 2026.
“Soma” premieres below and you can hear “Obsidian” on the same Bandcamp player if and when you want more. One more time, album’s out June 3, so not such a long wait.
Hope you enjoy:
Georgina Rios on “Soma”:
It all started with my acoustic guitar and singing, as usual. I dusted off some of my songs and combined them with my newer creations.
The first EP was a process of liberation for me and a return to music after Spacegoat; it was meant to embrace the past and strengthen the foundations of the present.
It has been months of hard work, composition, and rehearsing. The recording process was exhausting, as this time I also recorded the bass and some Hammond organ parts, but it was also so much fun! Chris Peters brought his amazing magic, and all the fused elements came together in this creation. So, judge for yourself, and let the music take you…
Chris Peters on “Soma”:
The first time I heard Gina sing, I knew she had a special gift. I then had the opportunity to release Spacegoat’s album on my Electric Magic label, and we also talked about a possible collaboration in the future. About eight years have passed since then, and of course I’d also heard Black Glow’s first EP, which left me a bit disappointed, because the vocals were mixed way too quietly — a fatal flaw! I hope that with the new album we’ve been able to align a bit more with the well-balanced Spacegoat sound again, and maybe even take it a step further by combining our strengths and talents.
Preorder: https://theblackglow.bandcamp.com/album/waves-and-mirrors-mirrors-and-waves
Three years after their self-titled debut EP, Black Glow returns with their first full length album, Waves and Mirrors – Mirrors and Waves. This release marks a significant evolution in the band’s sound, expanding their psych and doom foundations into more atmospheric and expansive territories.
The album features special guest Christian Peters (Fuzz Sagrado, founder of Samsara Blues Experiment), who contributes lead guitars and synthesizers on select tracks, adding a layer of cosmic depth to the recording.
Tracklisting:
1. Red Dandelions
2. Soma
3. Obsidian
4. Effortless
5. Desert Ghost
6. W. M. M. W.
7. Child in the Mirror
8. Odd Mass
Recorded by Víctor Velázquez “KB” at Testa Estudio
Post-production, mix and master by Christian Peters
Album cover art: Alan Arriaga
Produced by Gina Ríos
Special guest:
Christian Peters – Additional lead guitars, mellotron, organ and synthesizer effects.
Black Glow are:
Gina Ríos – Lyrics & Vocals / Guitars / Bass / Hammond organ
Octavio Diliegros – Drums
