There’s a new spell being cast from the heart of Bloomington, Indiana — and it lingers in the twilight between dream and reality. Cupid Spell, the mesmerizing dark synthpop duo formed earlier this year by Josh Kreuzman (known to the darkwave realm as Twice Dark) and Mandy Buffington, is no ordinary partnership. Their music, felt so far, is experienced, like stepping through a velvet curtain into a world where love, loss, and mystery breathe the same fog-laden air. With their debut single “Look Alike,” Cupid Spell makes an unforgettable entrance, gracing our space with a sonic and emotional masterpiece worthy of David Lynch’s surreal universe.
Originally crafted for Lover’s Eye Press Issue 10, a folio honoring the inimitable Lynch himself, “Look Alike” serves as a tribute and transcendence. Inspired by the eerie beauty and psychological depth of Twin Peaks, the song delves into the unsettling terrain of duality — how every soul hides a shadow, how every reflection might blink on its own. “Are you really you?” the duo seems to ask, and by the time the last synth fades into silence, you’re no longer sure of the answer.
From the first moment, “Look Alike” swells with a spectral pulse — brooding synth textures that breathe and expand like fog over an empty highway at midnight. The production feels intentionally cinematic, soaked in that familiar Lynchian unease: minimal yet lush, beautiful yet disquieting. There’s an otherworldly polish to the mix, each sound sitting precisely where it should, yet feeling as if it might drift away at any second. It’s clear that Kreuzman and Buffington are not just musicians; they are architects of atmosphere.
Mandy’s vocals glide through the soundscape like a flicker of neon against darkness — ethereal, aching, and slightly detached in that Julee Cruise-like way that turns melancholy into transcendence. Her performance walks the fine line between human and ghostly, perfectly embodying the song’s exploration of duplicity and inner fracture. Each word feels suspended in smoke, lingering long after the syllable fades. Josh complements this with haunting harmonies and meticulous production, weaving in a sample of David Lynch’s voice from his Number of the Day series.
The instrumentation is a gorgeous study in restraint. Warped analog synths shimmer against programmed percussion that thuds like a heartbeat under duress. The bassline, warm yet ominous, carries the track’s emotional gravity, while crystalline keys sparkle like memories half-recalled. There’s a dream logic to the arrangement — no section feels rushed or predictable. Instead, the song moves like a slow dance between two mirrors, reflections sliding over one another until they blur into one.
As the duo prepares to release more singles throughout 2025 and 2026, one thing is certain: Cupid Spell has arrived, and they’re conjuring an experience. For fans of darkwave, dream pop, and the strange beauty of the surreal, “Look Alike” is an irresistible invitation to get lost inside your own reflection.
Listen to “Look Alike” on Spotify
Follow Cupid Spell on Instagram
