Hunter Pistole was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas and Springfield, Missouri. The junior high school choir was where Hunter experienced his first singing experiences, though he had always loved music. He began writing his own songs when he was 14, though he didn’t do anything with it until three years later, when he decided to pursue a music career. A recent high school graduate, Hunter says his dad is his number one influence. “Watching him build his business from the ground up has been a blessing.” He names Justin Bieber as his biggest musical influence. “He truly is the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) of pop music and I have a lot of respect for him.”
Signed to Take Out/Pinnacle Management, Hunter Pistole recently dropped his 5 track EP, entitled “Don’t Runaway”. As an electronic pop music showcase, Hunter’s EP, is a slick set of songs that’ll quench any thirsty Millennial looking for the latest advancements in popular music. Although this is certainly Hunter’s story to tell, the production also finds a redemptive arc on the recording.
Tight percussion and alluring chord arrangements supply Hunter Pistole with the contemporary soundtrack he needs to develop a clear narrative. Furthermore, the production is noticeably roomy, giving Hunter free reign to explore his burgeoning creativity. The singing is mature and spot on while the songwriting is crisp and engaging.
It’s moments like on “Came Here For” and “Don’t Runaway (ft. J.O.N.)”, where Hunter gets to flex an intoxicating blend of vocal melodies and rhythmic hooks over a cascading waterfall of gorgeous synths. By sticking with the framework that has been carefully established by the exciting songs above, the EP in turn lays down a solid foundation for Hunter Pistole to exercise his moxie.
A brick and mortar set of soundscapes that’s free of rudimentary teen pop elements, and showcased beautifully on the mid-tempo “Summertime Lovin” and the tropical rhythms of “That Wave”. Although these are just the initial moments of the young artist’s career, “Don’t Runaway” is an intriguing EP pulsating with life—affirming that this is, in fact, an artist worth paying attention to.
The pitch-bending vocal collage of vulnerability in “Be There” signals a coming of age track, while the full scope of his pop stylings and blue-eyed soul fleshes out the full range of his tone, which can morph from an icy falsetto into something with more husk in the lower registers. Going from a teen singer to a serious aspiring recording artist is anything but easy for anyone. However Hunter Pistole is certainly giving it his best shot on this EP.
It would’ve been simple for Hunter to release a record of pure bangers that were entirely devoid of personality, but he’s actually been a lot wiser than that. “Don’t Runaway” puts a lot of faith in the strength of the melodies underpinning the tracks and it’s a smart move. It gives the whole project more depth and credibility.
