Hailing from the southern depths of Texas, darkwave trio The Polybius Cabinet have today unleashed their debut album, Level 1. The band, comprised of songwriter Miguel de la Cruz (guitar/vocals/synths) and siblings Alyse Galvan (synthesizers) and Markus Galvan (bass), blends South Texas roots and Hispanic heritage into their sound.
Level 1 delivers a unique take on the darkwave genre, infusing it with an electro and new wave sound that is described as both dark and upbeat. At times, the music is driven by a harder goth or deathrock influence. In a nod to their name, the band also weaves occasional video game-inspired sounds throughout the album’s landscape. The band sees this debut as the beginning of a journey, with Markus Galvatron commenting, “While listening to Level 1, one must think of it exactly as that. The start of a journey of discovery as a project. Each member brings with them a variety of individual influences”.
Lyrically, the album serves as an observation of others’ experiences, seen through the eyes of vocalist Miguel de la Cruz. It delves into profound themes such as relationship struggles, heartbreak, grief, and loss. A strong current of occultism also runs through several tracks, notably “Cisco”, “La Tumba”, and “Doorway”, adding another layer of mystique to their sound. The band proudly brings a bilingual approach to their music, representing the Latino goth subculture and creating a sound that avoids any predefined formula.
The album is available now on all major digital outlets and can also be purchased in CD format directly from the band’s Bandcamp page.
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The Polybius Cabinet: facebook | instagram | spotify | bandcamp
