Kendra Sheetz Austin, Texas synth-punk lifers Drakulas have returned with their third full-length album, Midnight City, via Dirtnap Records in the US and Wild Honey Records in Europe/UK. Built from proto-punk grit, garage rock urgency, and the synthetic pulse of early new wave, the record pulls from the worlds of Devo, Gary Numan, Grauzone, Kraftwerk, and the weirder edges of Neue Deutsche Welle, landing in a tight, off-kilter pocket where jagged guitars and cold synth lines push against each other without ever settling.
After a few years away, Midnight City marks a clear step forward for the band. The songs feel more connected, the pacing more deliberate, and the overall arc more immersive without losing immediacy. That philosophy runs throughout the record, shaping a sound that feels tactile and immediate without losing focus.
The band’s approach to sound remains rooted in imperfection as a choice, not a limitation. As they put it:
“We Drakulas continue to evolve our sonic mastery of lo-fi instrumentation. Midnight City is the result of a dirty basement, menthol cigarettes and the warm glow of a cathode ray TV. We spilled kerosene on the keyboards to make them sound uglier. Not for squares.”
The result is a record that feels deliberate and cohesive, built as much on mood and pacing as it is on hooks. Drakulas aren’t orbiting their other projects anymore, they’ve carved out their own space, with a sound and identity that continues to sharpen with each release.
Stream Midnight City in full below and keep checking back for more from Drakulas!
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