October 30, 2026

Abu Nein releases ‘Ghost Puppeteer’ single

Abu Nein released ‘Ghost Puppeteer’ on October 30, 2026 via Icons Creating Evil Art, the first single from the upcoming album ‘Is Anyone Awake?’

Abu Nein single cover art for "Ghost Puppeteer"
🇺🇦 Side-Line stands with Ukraine - Show your Support

Malmö darkwave act Abu Nein released “Ghost Puppeteer” on October 30, 2026 via Icons Creating Evil Art, the first of three singles leading up to their new album “Is Anyone Awake?,” due February 5, 2027. The 3:39 track combines driving electronics and synthpop hooks with a theme centred on autonomy and cutting ties, and includes a baile funk-styled “Ye Ardina” vocal sample through its chorus.

“Ghost Puppeteer” was produced by Erica Li Lundqvist and Tobias Bernstrup, who also wrote the music between them; Lundqvist wrote the lyrics, Bernstrup mixed the track and Doruk Özturkcan handled mastering. The single follows a line-up change that leaves Lundqvist as the band’s sole remaining songwriter, working alongside Bernstrup to shape the group’s next chapter.

“Ghost Puppeteer” is available on Spotify.

About Abu Nein

Abu Nein debuted in 2020 with “Secular Psalms,” an album nominated for a Manifest Award and winner of the Synthsläggan Award for Best Swedish Debut Album. The band’s third album, “III: Dark Faith,” won the Manifest Award for Best Swedish Synth Album. Abu Nein has performed across Scandinavia and Europe, including Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Amphi Festival, NCN Festival and Prague Gothic Treffen, and has shared stages with Kite, The Legendary Pink Dots, Minuit Machine and She Past Away.

Reviewers have described the band’s sound as “Speak and Spell era Depeche Mode if Siouxie Sioux replaced Dave Gahan,” according to ReGen Magazine, and as “an artful take on modern Darkwave, fueled by evocative and melancholic gothic-infused Post-punk poetry,” according to White Light // White Heat.

Support Side-Line

More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.

Select a Donation Option (USD)

Enter Donation Amount (USD)
Why we ask

Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.

Handled by PayPal.