Alethea Leventhal’s "Protection Spells", released May 2nd on Metropolis Records under her Ships In The Night moniker, is an atmospheric dark-pop incantation that marries gothic synthwave with emotional ritual. A Charlottesville/NYC-based multi-instrumentalist, Leventhal channels her inner witch - the album’s core theme is emotional protection. It unfolds through ten tracks, beginning with the anthemic “Blood Harmony”, a self-described incantation meant to shield and reclaim empowerment, and “Some Of Those Dreams”, its dream-pop predecessor.

Sonically, "Protection Spells" spins like a nocturnal lucid dream: shimmering synth washes ride on taut, kinetic rhythms, lush enough to seduce but always anchored by a kind of moody resolve. Leventhal’s production balances polish and rawness - her voice glides between whispered vulnerability and assertive chant, setting up tracks like “Inside” or “Wells of Pain” that sound like cinematic vignettes about self-war and selfcare. There’s a surprising warmth amid the gothic shadows - a reminder that dark pop can both haunt and heal.

This is the artist’s third full-length, following "Myriologues" (2017) and "Latent Powers" (2021), and it reveals a deepening narrative arc: from grief to empowerment to ritualized self-preservation. The album even drops a cover - "Enjoy the Silence" - a nod to Depeche Mode’s influence, here played not as homage but as part of Leventhal’s own mythic language of stillness and sanctuary.

Critical responses see "Protection Spells" as a balm for troubling times - Electrowelt called it “a balm for a harrowing age”, while early reviews emphasize its “bewitching heights” and emotional ambition. Its nods to witch house, dream pop, and darkwave are expected, but the album is anchored by Leventhal’s songwriting and sound design - which summon strength without abandoning mystery.

There’s even drama in the rollout: the release was celebrated with a David Lynch–themed “Black Lodge Ball”, a fittingly surreal container for Leventhal’s cinematic approach. And with a Wave-Gotik-Treffen appearance on the horizon, she's stepping confidently into the goth-electronic central stage.

"Protection Spells" is not just a collection of songs - it’s a soundtrack for emotional resilience. It weaves ritual, atmosphere, and pop songwriting into a cohesive spell meant to empower, reassure, and maybe even stun. In a time when vulnerability often feels like exposure, Leventhal offers protection - and beauty - in equal measure.

In short: darkly luminescent, emotionally sophisticated, witchy without the winks - a record that feels like it was meant as much to heal its creator as to cast a spell over its listeners.