ITC 31. Summer musings
New projects, sketches and recommendations
Welcome to the first Summer edition of 2026! (Note→ If you’re new here or wondering why you’re receiving this: I’m Raúl and you’re receiving this email because at some point you signed up to the In The Cave Substack newsletter).
→ Introduction
Since this is a newsletter welcoming summer, this introduction isn’t so much a reflection, as usual, but more like a thought out loud. A series of words, ideas, perhaps memories, that come to mind whenever I think about summer. Here it is, unfiltered:
The scent of olive oil and pine resin, warm in the sun. The crackling of dry branches. The light filtering through the trees. The rustling of poplar leaves. Traveling lying down, gazing at the stars at night. Feeling your body tremble after a day in the sea. Family reunions. A semi-abandoned park by a road, where the rusty chains of the swings creak almost harmoniously.
Sunflower seed hulls on the ground. The silvery sea in the light of the setting sun. The smell of gunpowder on Midsummer’s Eve. The warm air touching my bare skin. Freshly washed cherries. Dreaming about projects for the next season. Board games under an awning at the campsite. Walking in the rain without fear of catching a cold. The smell of sunscreen. Dreaming of legends while visiting ancient Castilian ruins.
The taste of ripe melon and gazpacho. Crickets chirping incessantly at night. A secret spring in the middle of a forest. The peaceful time of voluntary solitude. Picking rock tea when the sun is low. The scent of a walnut tree. The bittersweet feeling of the holidays ending, along with the satisfaction of having experienced so much in such a short time…
It’s easy to realise how extremely tied most of this is to my childhood or youth, and how important smell is to shape our memories... I’d love to know what things you automatically associate with (your) summer 🌞
(More) tiny sketches
As usual, I’m starting with some (digital)pencil sketches I’ve done over the past weeks/days. Let me know which is your favourite. I’m always curious!
→ Sneak peek
Darkgeons
This is a project that my dear friend David and I have been working on for some time. Although it’s still in the very (very) early stages of design, I’m publishing this mockup here as a self-reminder and affirmation that the project will reach its destination, one way or another.
It’s a super compact card (video)game in which you explore dungeons made up of rooms where each space is occupied by a card. Since you move in the dark, your field of vision is limited, making each path a gamble.
Every step involves accepting the card you land on, regardless of the consequences: some items automatically replace others, traps are triggered, encounters are simply activated, and so on. This way, your equipment is in a constant state of flux, and facing the future dangers is a real challenge. More information in the near future!
→ A recent collaboration
VtM Bloodlines 2 Review
My friend Jose Lomo and I recently recorded a special episode for his newsletter, “No hay mapas en el Dédalo”: a podcast-style review of one of the most controversial games of 2025: Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2. It’s almost two hours long, 99% spoiler-free, and, importantly, in Spanish. You won’t find many fair reviews of this highly flawed, yet uniquely special game by The Chinese Room:
🔖 This month’s recommendations
1 → A sketchbook: Núria Tamarit
I love sketchbooks, and I try to preserve as many as I can. Often they’re self-published or from short print runs by small publishers. Such is the case with this little sketchbook by Núria Tamarit, an artist I mentioned a few months ago. It has 24 A5 pages filled with charming little drawings on a variety of themes, as delightful as everything this Valencian artist creates.
2 → A game: Inkblood
A truly indie, alternative game project that, at the same time, touches a lot of my philias: dark murders, detectives, supernatural elements and a very distinctive visual style. “You’re an Inquisitor following a trail of death. A cult is at work, your predecessor has vanished, and the region teeters on the edge of chaos. Find the truth. Uphold the Inquisition. Do not fail.” Very intriguing… Inkblood will be released later this year. You can wishlist it on Steam.
3 → A typeface: Ashcroft
A beautiful and recently released font by Peregrin Studio. It’s a type of font I’ve never been too fond of: something you can’t define as a sans-serif font or a serif font, reminiscent of fonts carved in rock or wood, but this one has a simply exquisite formal resolution, especially the heavier styles. So much potential in it!
4 → An artist: Alexandre Diboine
This artist is not only an extraordinary illustrator, but also a skilled craftsman specialising in forging bladed weapons like knives or axes, as well as other metal tools—a hobby that seems to have influenced his designs (or is it the other way around?). His style is wonderfully playful, detailed, and organic, with a strong focus on worldbuilding. I never tire of admiring his characters, outfits, armours, and minute details.
5 → Music
Crystal (2001) by New Order
I don’t know how many times I must have listened to this song, especially between 2001 and 2005… It was part of their 2001 album Get Ready. I’m not sure about its importance within the discography of New Order (band resulting from the dissolution of Joy Division), but for me it is one of their best songs, deeply anchored to my early 20s.
Little Dark Age (2017) by MGMT
This one, however, was a recent discovery for me, even if it’s almost a decade old. It’s my first contact with MGMT, and I have to say that I love this mix of synth-pop, indie rock… psychedelic… pop? Who cares about labels anyway? Go enjoy it!
I grieve in stereo, the stereo sounds strange
I know that if you hide, it doesn't go away
If you get out of bed and find me standing all alone
Open-eyed, burn the page, my little dark age
Thank you for reading In the Cave. Currently, I’m using social media just to promote this newsletter, share other people’s work or send memes to friends. Nothing else. So if you like this newsletter, please share it and recommend it. You can also find me on my website.
Feliç Sant Joan and see you soon!
Read a previous story:
Aunque comparto tus recuerdos relacionados con la costa, mi recuerdo más intenso del verano suele ir en dirección contraria, en el coche de mis padres, de madrugada, «en busca del amanecer», que solía sorprendernos a medio camino de las montañas.
Siempre estimulantes los sketches, R. Esta vez me quedo con el del pequeño espejo que refleja una mirada esquiva.
Fue un placer conversar contigo sobre Bloodlines 2. ¡Gracias por mencionarlo en tu cueva!
Mis recuerdos de infancia y verano son muy similares a los tuyos, me han emocionado :-) ¡Fuerza con ese proyecto de videojuego y con todos los demás! ¡Eres un crack!