Dutch darkwave / post-punk band Bragolin release new album ‘I Don’t Like What It Does to Me’

The year began with the single I Run and Hide. What sounds like a guitar-driven track actually features no guitars at all, using a Clavinet instead. The instrument, famously used by Stevie Wonder, is repurposed by Bragolin to create the melodies of this dark dancefloor banger. The music video was created by film students Maria Gaedcke and Jonathan Eder, drawing on the cinematic horror imagery that inspired the song, with the protagonist being chased into a cornfield.

The next single, Tar With Salt Foam, was inspired by Robert Eggers’ film The Lighthouse. Long-time fans may recognize echoes of earlier songs such as This Grotesque Dance from the debut album I Saw Nothing Good So I Left. Cold wave bass synthesizers combine with the band’s signature Bass VI and organ sounds, all wrapped in textures taken from one of the many field recordings featured throughout the album.

The group is perhaps best known for their modern classic Into Those Woods (2018), which passed 10 million streams on Spotify in the fall of 2025. With Not All Are Real, they return to that high-energy sound while introducing new elements, including a cinematic string section and, unusually for the band, a chorus.

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Bragolin released their first duet, Feel This Flame Unfold, together with fellow darkwave artist Carrellee. Their voices pass the lead back and forth like a dance, creating an ode to elder goths who still feel the fire of the dancefloor even as their bodies grow older. The hand-drawn animated video was created by State of Poison.

The second half of the album completes the tracklist with four distinct songs. In This Lightless Hall ventures into a meditative space with subtle trip-hop elements, while the title track I Don’t Like What It Does to Me explores the album’s darkest moments. I Salute You Ancient Ocean features a guest appearance by co-founder Isolde Woudstra, who returns for this one track to deliver spoken word over an 80s-inspired psychedelic dance track. Meanwhile, This Presence Like a Breeze may be the song that captures the Bragolin sound better than any other.

The album title refers to the inner demons we all carry with us, whose influence we often struggle to come to terms with. The cover artwork continues the visual series established in the artwork of the band’s first two albums. Once again, we see a girl photographed from behind, her identity and intentions remaining a mystery. This time she stands in a nightgown in the middle of a forest lake, as if caught in a nightmare, staring into the distance at whatever inner demon might be lurking there.

I Don’t Like What It Does to Me will be released on Young & Cold Records, available via Bandcamp and on all streaming platforms. The album was mixed by René Jongeneelen and mastered by Pier‑Durk Hogeterp, who both previously worked on the band’s first album. Following the release, the band will embark on several tours later this year, with more dates to be announced soon.

The debut album I Saw Nothing Good So I Left (2018) featured the track Into Those Woods, which is now a modern-day dance floor classic. The song surpassed 10 million all-time streams in 2025, establishing Bragolin as a consistent presence within the global dark wave and gothic scene. In 2019, van der Velde collaborated with fellow Dutch artist Adam Tristar on the second album Let Out The Noise Inside, which leaned further into electronic and synth-based production.

In 2026, Bragolin releases the new album I Don’t Like What It Does To Me, unfolding in gradually revealed chapters. Building on the project’s signature sound, the record combines Bass VI melodies, organ lines, and rich atmospheric production. Field recordings, synthetic ocean textures, water-phones, and experimental sound sources create a layered, immersive listening experience. The album features Feel This Flame Unfold, a duet with dark wave artist Carrellee.

In 2020 Edwin Daatselaar joined Bragolin as synth player to form the current live duo. Both Edwins also play in Zwarte Poëzie. Bragolin has performed over 100 shows at festivals and clubs across Europe and Latin America, including appearances at Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Amphi Festival, and Cold Hearted Festival.