EPK

“Thanks in part to “Have You Ever” becoming a minor TikTok hit last year, Urban Heat has taken Austin’s clubs and America’s goth underground in such a blitz that it feels like it suddenly arose from the ether.” - Andy O’Conner, SPIN

Urban Heat is a post-punk/darkwave trio from Austin, Texas, led by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Horstmann and joined live by Kevin Naquin (synths/programming) and Paxel Foley (bass/samples). The band’s debut EP Wellness (Spaceflight Records, 2022) introduced their cinematic, synth-driven sound, while their 2024 full-length The Tower (Artoffact Records) cemented their reputation as one of Austin’s most compelling acts. That same year, they embarked on a European tour supporting Molchat Doma, bringing their high-voltage live show to new audiences abroad. Known for merging shadowy 80s atmospheres with modern urgency, Urban Heat has played major festivals including ACL, Cruel World, and Darker Waves. In 2025, they signed to Sumerian Records, marking the start of a new chapter that builds on their relentless touring, growing fanbase, and powerful stage presence.

"A lightning rod of dark electro/proto-punk/new wave/synth wave/part goth/part industrial sound that is all the things but… simultaneously transcending them into something fresher." - Laurie Gallardo, KUTX 98.9

“The post-punk trio confronts the pervasive bleakness of life in pandemic-era America with an Atari blast of bubbling synths laid over insistent, body-shaking beats. These are not fluffy pop songs. Vocalist Jonathan Horstmann scratches at the many shades of malaise that have emerged as side effects of late-stage capitalism. He dances with darkness. He picks scabs 'til they bleed. He breaks through the pain.” - Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American-Statesman