This EP has been sitting in my lap for months now, and I've been biting my tongue ever since I gave it a listen. HAUNTER, hailing from Houston, TX, is here, and their debut EP, GAMEBOY, is the perfect blend of every sound and genre you knew you needed and also those that you didn't. With catchy choruses, upbeat rhythms, and a perfect pop-alternative tone, this EP is sure to be your new favorite thing to close out the year.
Before I go into detail about how I feel about this debut EP, what does the band think of this release? Well, the band states:
Rising pop-rock band HAUNTER announces their debut EP, GAME BOY — a high-voltage coming-of-age mixtape built on late-night dreams, fearless vulnerability, and raw nostalgia. Produced with Tyler Smyth (I Prevail, Falling in Reverse), the six-track EP explores summer love, toxic entanglements, identity, and chasing dreams with massive hooks and emotional grit. Formed after a chance meeting at a Houston show, HAUNTER — Lucy LeNoir (vocals), Enoma Asowata (guitar), Mark Schroeder (bass), and Mike Ray (guitar/vocals) — scrapped early versions of themselves to create something real. For Lucy, a small-town Texas kid, and Enoma, a first-gen Nigerian-American, GAME BOY is a love letter to the outcasts. From pop-punk anthems to gut-punching ballads, HAUNTER proves that the messy, rough-around-the-edges parts of life are where true magic happens.
Talk about setting the bar HIGH right out of the gate. Yet, truer words could not have been said when describing the musical love child created by this gang of all-star musicians.
Courtesy of HAUNTER
I can't even begin to choose a favorite, as each song from the EP effortlessly blends together to create something beautiful yet can stand on its own. With pop-like intros and synth sounds that allow the pop-punk lyrics to dance to your eardrums, I keep finding myself bopping along with each listen. Take "Catch Me If You Can" and "Strangers." Both these songs sound like they belong as the soundtrack to the next blockbuster movie and could also hit in all the best ways possible in a small club show. Meanwhile, listening to "Untouchable" takes me back to feeling like I'm back in high school and finding new music on LimeWire.
All I can say is this: don't sleep on HAUNTER. They are sure to be your next favorite band, and I am sure it is only a matter of time before this EP takes the band on tours across the country.
