Subway Rat shares debut record

Hailing from the borough of Queens, New York City, Subway Rat is the musical alter ego of David Polanco, a genre-breaking indie pop sensation. His artistic journey, marked by a fusion of retro inspiration and modern flair, unfolds against the backdrop of the sprawling city that never sleeps.

His unconventional musical story took shape during a period of personal upheaval, an extended breakup with his college sweetheart and a subsequent autism diagnosis. Amidst this turbulence, he penned his debut single, “Rendezvous,” a raw and emotive unveiling of his distinctive sound in April last year.

Collaborating with indie rock guitarist and producer Paco Lee, Subway Rat’s freestyle-driven approach has resulted in over 100 songs, brought to life with the expertise of multi-platinum, Grammy-winning engineers at Lounge Studios in Times Square. With no formal training beyond a brief stint with the trumpet in 7th grade and eight years of step and hip hop dancing, Subway Rat showcases that natural talent and a fervent passion for expression can carve out a unique artistic identity.

Having only made his entrance last year, he’s already shared an astonishing amount of music, rolling out his original creative vision via a prolific release schedule. With two full-length records already under his belt, most recently his brand new sophomore album Captain of the Football Team, he now shares his debut album titled Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors. This twelve-track release offers the perfect snapshot of an indie artist exploring his artistic expression, capturing all the raw emotion and creative spirit that’s resulted in the songs from the LP already clocking over a million streams in less than six months since its release.

Opened by “Tell Me What To Do,” the album instantly hops with bouncy rhythm driven by snapping drums, pulsing bass guitar and lightly crunchy electric guitar touches. Subway Rats gritty vocal charm spins catchy leads above, resulting in a punk rock-inspired cut packed full of rousing energy, memorable hooks and an entirely original sound.

His first single “Rendezvouz” follows with the uptempo shuffle of drums as layers of warm guitar fuzz sets up a delicate indie sound. Capped by delightful vocal work, softly adorning the lively arrangement with smooth leads, it’s an elegant pop rock outing that pulls you deeper into Subway Rat’s alluring musical world.

“Schoolyard Crush” pops with energy as grooving rhythms underpin the bright twang of funky guitars. Subway Rat threads storytelling lyricism above as the playful pips of arpeggiated synth tones dance alongside his voice, creating an infectious disco rock bop that reveals yet more sides to his sonic output.

“Espresso Martini” delivers a memorable moment with the deep pulse of bass guitar and airy cuts of electric guitar chords setting up a moody groove. Bursting with the patter of hi hats and crash of cymbals, he serves up a superb alternative pop sound that channels the aesthetic of early Maroon 5.

The record closes with “LMK” with its soft clean guitar strums and spacey vocal lines of hushed delivery. Propelled by the punch of drums as the echoes of his voice rings out, the buzz of distorted guitars raises the song to an anthemic sound to deliver an emphatic conclusion to a truly impressive debut record from an artist who’s continued to build on its success.

Listen to Stand Clear of the Closing Doors below