Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Horstmann.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Starting in 2019, I brought some synth demos to longtime friends Kevin Naquin and Pax. We’d been in bands around town but had yet to play together. The pandemic and quarantine caused me to go into deep production mode, and I came up with the songs that became the Wellness EP. We started gigging regularly, and through the help of our live show, we started landing better gigs, playing our first ACL, getting a national booking agent, and attracting some labels. After a good year of touring nationally, we took a break and wrote our new record, “The Tower,” over 2 weeks in December 2022. Played both Cruel World and Darker Waves in 2023 and signed with Artoffact Records, who will release “The Tower” in August of 2024.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Pretty damn smooth. Our growth is happening rapidly, and while we’re thankful for that, it presents some unforeseen opportunities for personal growth. The biggest lessons learned are running a small business, advocating for ourselves properly, and trusting no one.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our music lies at the crossroads of synthpop, darkwave, and post-punk without being derivative (hopefully). That sets us apart from many of the newer bands in this scene because we aren’t trying to sound like another. The comparisons happen for sure, but we borrow from such a broad range of influences that it can be hard to pin us down. I like that and take pride in our music sounding original. Our live shows are a violent, cathartic, sometimes religious experience (at least for myself), and that has undoubtedly been connecting with folks and winning us fans.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I listen to a ton of audiobooks on the road. The last one that stood out was Gary Numan’s autobiography. We have a very similar ethos when it comes to writing.
Contact Info:
- Website: urbanheatband.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbanheatband
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbanheatband/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UrbanHeatband
Image Credits
Anna Lee Media
