Emerging from Austin, Texas in the 2010s to fill a very specific gap—live dance music that comes alive after midnight—the LA-via-Austin queer dance-electronic trio CAPYAC has released their new 12-track album, Sobbing Ecstasy.
Sobbing Ecstasy marks the band’s first full-length in a trio format, following the addition of Obie Puckett as a full-time collaborator. Their playful sensibilities and knack for melody blend seamlessly with Delwin Campbell and Eric Peana, who have always had a penchant for oddball expressionism.
Peana and Campbell stumbled across the phrase “sobbing ecstasy” while living in LA, when their roommate Sam Schiffer read aloud the liner notes for ABBA’s Gold on Apple Music. The emphatic phrasing immediately resonated with the trio, who began bouncing the words back and forth, tagging songs that elicited a similar response.
Sobbing Ecstasy opens with a blissful, sci-fi–tinged intro track, “How the Earth Lies Still”—a brief but ear-melting 50-second piece that grips your attention from start to finish.
The follow-up, “I Won’t Ever Leave You Behind,” is a full-on party on wheels. Packed with dance-funk energy, the track features vocals as vibrant as its driving bassline. It’s groovy, fun-filled, and never lets up—propelling listeners through its infectious momentum from start to finish.
A personal favorite is “U Know Y,” the third track in the lineup and the perfect song to lose yourself to—whether on a late-night drive, a rollerblading session down a steep hill, or during some somatic dance. It’s all about channeling the vibe and riding that high in whatever way feels right. The track packs a punch, and its production commands movement, making it nearly impossible not to groove along.
“Sexy in My Bodyyy” comes next, radiating groovy funk energy. A blast from the past, its vocal delivery leans more toward spoken word than singing, giving it a playful, unserious charm. Like much of the album, it’s irresistibly danceable on its own.
The mood shifts with “Grief is an ~o p e n i n g,” which brings a more serious tone while maintaining the album’s sci-fi–tinged atmospheric edge. What stands out is the poetic, visually rich spoken word—the track is dramatic yet measured, creating a striking contrast that fits seamlessly between the surrounding songs.
Next up is “ANGEL EYE CONTACT”—euphoric, ethereal, and fluttering with metallic-tinged synths and rhythmic, helicopter-like percussion that lets the vocals soar. At 6 minutes and 51 seconds, it’s the longest track on the album and a stunning example of the trio’s ability to craft dance music that’s vibrant, inventive, and anything but predictable.
The track is pure bliss, capturing the electric chemistry of connecting with someone on the dance floor—a moment that feels almost kismet or spiritual. It embodies a euphoric sensitivity that truly comes alive amid glowing, pulsing lights, bodies moving in sync, and a beat that feels like its own living, breathing organism.
Overall, Sobbing Ecstasy lives up to its name—however you interpret “ecstasy,” it’s hard not to compare the feeling to the sounds and lyrics of this album, which are overflowing with movement, joy, and pure euphoria.
In short: this album is gorgeous, brilliantly executed, and packed with so much love and attention to detail that it practically radiates from every track.
