One Empty Toybox just dropped a track called “Cyberstalking” that’s got a whole lot more going on under the hood than you’d expect from the title. This isn’t a gloomy, paranoid rant about the internet. It’s a punchy, almost playful slice of post-punk synth-pop that somehow makes a terrifying subject feel like a dancefloor groove. And that’s exactly the point.
Who’s behind this? Two guys who’ve been making music together since 1995—Rob Dreyer and Nicholas Viltrakis. They’ve got a ton of unreleased stuff and have bounced through projects like 600 Rubies, but this one is their official One Empty Toybox release. Nick laid down the basic framework—drums, bass, synth, rhythm guitars—and had the title “Cyberstalking” in his head with no direction. Rob was stuck in Chicago on a business trip, and boom, he wrote the lyrics for both this track and another one in just two hours. That kind of spontaneous writing gives the song an energy that you can feel immediately.
Sound-wise, this thing is a beast. It’s got that driving bassline and synth pulse that feels like 80s new wave, but with a jagged punk guitar edge. They even added a second lead guitar and solos on the spot, keeping the improvisational spirit alive. People are already comparing it to Visage and Roxy Music, and yeah, that fits—there’s a sleek, glossy texture there, but it’s married to a sneering, gritty vocal delivery. It’s catchy as hell, but it’s not a novelty track. It’s got teeth.
The subject matter is real. Cyberstalking is a nasty, growing threat in a world where AI makes it impossible to trust what you see online. But instead of making a depressing dirge, they went for something almost lighthearted—a modern-day Romeo and Juliet with a digital twist. It’s that contrast that makes it stand out. And here’s the killer part: 100% of the profits from this song are going to Stop Stalking Us. This is a campaign, not merely a song.
They recorded the whole thing in Nick’s basement in Cincinnati, and they don’t play live anymore—careers, families, life. But this music is a passion that refuses to die. If you want a track that makes you bob your head while also making you think twice about your digital footprint, this is it. Give “Cyberstalking” a listen, share it, and do something good.