Urban Heat by Anna Lee
Imagine a love once bright and burning, now flickering like a candle in a drafty room. It’s a poignant pain, whispering of past sweetness and present bitterness. Laughter echoes hollowly; tender touches feel like fleeting memories and effortless conversations are dammed by unspoken words. Shared dreams fray, each thread taut with doubt. The closeness cherished becomes a chasm. Like a garden wilting under the sun, love’s joy turns to sorrow, reminding us even deep bonds strain. Urban Heat’s heart-wrenching new single, Say The Words, tackles this heartbreak. The song is the latest offering from their forthcoming album, The Tower, set for worldwide release on August 16th via Artoffact Records.
In a mere five years, Urban Heat has blazed a trail across the darkwave scene. Leading the charge is Jonathan Horstmann, a singer and multi-instrumentalist whose melodic baritone could charm the socks off a snake, alongside the thunderous rhythm section provided by Kevin Naquin and Paxel Foley.
Horstmann describes the single – and The Tower as a whole – as deeply personal, tackling themes of fatherhood, sobriety, relationships, and the chaotic state of the world. His melodic musings weave through these topics with wit and wisdom, offering a heartfelt glimpse into his life and the band’s ever-evolving journey.
“I was walking into a coffee shop one morning, and the chorus just popped into my head,” recalls Horstmann. “I’m always thankful when songs come like that. It was just WHAM! Then I had to make sense of what it meant and write verses. The bridge was particularly hard to write. Not in the sense of finding the words, but struggling with the emotional implications as my wife and I were beginning to have our struggles. We’ve since separated and returning to that song and many others on the record can be quite hard for me.”
The Tower is available for pre-order here. Listen to Say The Words below.
Last year, Urban Heat turned up the temperature to a toasty broil for throngs at Cruel World and Darker Waves. Back on home ground, they’ve become the darlings of SXSW, causing quite a commotion on TikTok. They headlined at The Roxy in LA and even strutted their stuff on the illustrious stages of the Austin City Limits Festival. With a knack for causing a sizzling sensation wherever they go, Urban Heat has shown they can make waves and warm hearts all at once, blending a charming concoction of charisma and cool that leaves audiences both bewitched and bemused.
“This record is the first fully complete artistic and emotional statement from this band, and we’re thrilled and anxious about releasing it to the world,” Horstmann continues, speaking on the forthcoming album. “The Tower is all of my fears, anxieties, and insecurities made manifest, and it will be so healing to exercise these internal demons alongside the amazing community that has formed around this project.”
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