As I sink into my dreams
I fall trapped into emptiness
To make sense of one’s life
Leads down hopeless fallacy
DECEITS, the Los Angeles-based darkwave band, consists of the talented Kevin “Puppy” Moreno on vocals, bass, and keys, Kevin Hernandez on strings, and Francisco Saenz on percussion. Despite residing in a sun-kissed climate where rain is a rare commodity, their music emits a melancholic vibe that suggests otherwise. Drawing inspiration from deathrock, hardcore punk, dreampop, and new wave, they have crafted a unique take on the brooding post-punk sound of the 1980s, reminiscent of the iconic bands, The Cure and Joy Division. Their music has the power to make you sway one moment and shed a tear the next, but it’s clear that every note they play is a reflection of their heart and soul.
The lyrics to their forlorn new single, “Drowning In An Empty Sea”, give us a glimpse of life’s bitter ironies, peering into a vast ocean, only to be met with the isolation that life often flings our way. To think one had such hopes, seeing the glass not quite bare. But then, the bleakness sneaks up on you. While trying to untangle this messy thing called life, the cruel joke is that clarity might just be another illusion. The refrain, over and over, is a woeful nudge, reminding us of that eternal fight against the engulfing void. And “sanguine”? That’s just lipstick on a skeleton.
Melancholy with a twist of optimism: this is DECEITS signature sound, a love letter to those gloomy days of 17 Seconds & Faith-era Cure, and a touch of Asylum Party’s entrancing beats. We also hear Human Tetris, Soviet Soviet, The Chameleons, Twin Tribes in their influences. It’s as if you’re stuck between wanting to dance and needing to weep.
“I wrote Drowning In An Empty Sea in a dull day where my thoughts were left to run wild and needed an outlet to convey them,” concludes Moreno.
For the video clip, Elijah Beaty and Peter Hanson (The Grin) took their cameras and prowled the streets of Downtown LA’s Fashion District. With a touch of vintage flair, they gave a little nod to the VHS vibes of Sad Lovers & Giants and Belgrado. DECEITS are draped all over the city, pouring their hearts out. It’s a raw, emotional spectacle. Imagine watching an old film reel with all its beautiful scars, playing a tune that could tear your heart in two.
Watch below:
Drowning In An Empty Sea is the first track from their upcoming debut album. It was engineered and mixed by Alex Estrada at Pale Moon Studios and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios with additional engineering by James Edwards.
Listen to and order the single via Bandcamp here.
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