The
Houston Press Singles Club is back this week with plenty of tunes to help steer you into the following days. Tracks from Ape Drums, Venomous Maximus, Virgil Wolfe, The Hates, and Robert Kuhn will all make their way onto the playlist. While we appreciate anyone who subscribes to the playlist, we ask that you visit these artists when they perform live or in their artist shops so they can continue to release stellar tunes.
click to enlarge Houston's Ape Drums has dropped fire since he began.
Photo courtesy of Mad Decent
The electronic music scene in Houston has always had plenty of legs, so it shouldn't be shocking that
Ape Drums has captured the attention of many outside of our city. Aside from the fact that he's performed with the likes of Major Lazer, Skrillex, Sean Paul and the Mad Decent Boat party, his music has always been a mix of multiple styles that no matter what, should make you get down. On his single "
Deva (feat. Suku)" the producer adds hints of jungle alongside reggaeton and more to craft a sound that hard not to groove to. You can find Ape Drums' music in all digital storefronts.
There are plenty of metal bands out there, and many from just the South alone. While it feels like the best metal is coming from the Southern states, Houston's
Venomous Maximus has been making solid metal tunes for a good while now. On their latest release
No Warning, the Houston group takes their sound to a more refined place while keeping things heavy at the same time. This is probably most showcased on the track "
Spellbound," where the band keeps it dark but still offers a mix of old school metal with notes of rock riffs and plenty of hooks. You can find the band's music at their shows, in all digital outlets, or grab them directly from their
Bandcamp page.
click to enlarge Virgil Wolfe has a mix of eclectic style and pop sensibility.
Photo by Punk With a Camera
While Houston is known for hip hop, Baytown might not be what you think of when you think about the genre. However, with
Virgil Wolfe, the rapper definitely places the small town on the hip hop map, even though there have been other rappers who call Baytown home in the past. Wolfe has been dropping plenty of jams for a minute now, but on his latest full length Before The World Wakes Up, he proves that he can hang with those who came before him. This is most obvious on the track "
The Sidequest," where Wolfe mixes piano and a catchy beat to craft a banger complete with his signature vocal style leading the way. You should find yourself placing this one on repeat. You can find Wolfe's music in all digital outlets or order directly from him on
Bandcamp.
Punk music has always been a staple of Houston, but it was definitely started by legendary punk band
The Hates. The longest running unsigned band in Houston has done everything from open for big punk bands to releasing an anthology, and they still keep performing and releasing new material. While it's about time for them to drop something new, their track "
No Talk In the 80's" should be the road map for a band making punk music today. The song is an instant classic, it's minimal, and it sticks with you even after just one play. You can find The Hates' music in most digital store fronts, in shops around town, or order it directly from the band
here.
click to enlarge Robert Kuhn evokes good times a tender notes in his music.
Photo by Rachel Wiley-Janota
If you make music that falls into the singer songwriter fold, you have to stand out to distance yourself from the slew of artists who already make up the genre. After catching
Robert Kuhn perform, we were pretty impressed with his eclectic live show and his music as well. On his latest release
Maria The Gun, Kuhn has a sound that feels like if Jack Johnson got a little more soulful. This is all over the song "
Higher Ground" where Kuhn adds plenty of jazzy elements to a song that should give you all the feels and brighten your day at the same time. You can find Robert Kuhn's music in all digital outlets or in stores around Houston.
That's it for this edition of The Singles Club. Remember that while you can follow the playlist and get the songs the moment they're added, this week's songs begin with track number 76.