“I wrote some songs cause I love her/And played some shows in the suburbs/It was the middle of summer in Texas.”

It may be set to a drum machine and singing synthesizer, but the lyrics quoted above (from "Summer of Love") sum up the music of The Secret Handshake better than any biography ever could. Originally formed in 2004 by Dallas native Luis Dubuc, the idea that started as a side-project has become an underground phenomenon made evident by The Secret Handshake’s recent signing to Triple Crown Records as well as the sold-out shows Dubuc has played with just a few self-released recordings to his name.

Initially a metal drummer, Dubuc quickly felt limited playing aggressive music, and after witnessing a life-changing Mouse On Mars show, he bought a laptop and began experimenting with electronic sounds. “It was really liberating,” Dubuc explains. “Suddenly there was a new way for me to create music without a stereotypical band.”

The 14 songs on the debut album, One Full Year are as varied as Dubuc’s myriad of influences. Although …And You Know Us By The Trail Of Dead’s bassist, Neil Busch, lends his skills to a few tracks, the album is ultimately Dubuc’s seemingly disparate influences recontextualized into one cohesive collection. “I want this record to surprise and shock a lot of people, you know?” Dubuc says. And whether it’s the shredding guitar solo on “Gamegirl” or the glitchy “Too Young,” there are plenty of moments that will catch each listener off guard on the disc.



Download: "Midnight Movie" (mp3) from One Full Year

Theme: Midnight Movie