The Best New Music in Dallas, May 2016: Dorrough, Snow Tha Product & More

Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians.

With Memorial Day behind us and the heat and humidity on the rise, this set of brand-new material from North Texas artists is the perfect accompaniment for your summer playlist. A couple acts delivered long-awaited videos for standout singles, while others (we're looking at you, Lord Byron) flipped the script on their music entirely. Here you'll find the area's best ranging from Americana to hip-hop to post-punk to folk music. 


Dorrough - “Yeah Yeah”

Dorrough’s latest single, “Yeah Yeah,” dropped just in time for a big summertime radio push and it’s already starting to get heavy rotation on 97.9 The Beat and K104. The Dallas heavyweight’s melodic flow is intertwined with a hook that’ll be burned in your brain halfway through the track. It’s been a damn near impossible task for Dorrough to follow up 2009’s “Ice Cream Paint Job,” but he’s done a solid job releasing a string of singles that have kept him on radio waves with “Beat Up the Block,” “Japanese” and now “Yeah Yeah.” Don’t feel bad for him, though. As he puts it himself, he’s just “celebrating life without the bullshit.”


VVOES - “Days Are Numbered”

A rebrand and a new lineup has done wonders for VVOES. This all-too-short, peppy, reverbed track from the group formerly known as ill smiths has us anticipating an EP they’re releasing soon, according to Facebook. In the meantime, the Fort Worth quartet is busy playing shows across North Texa and are on the bill for the upcoming Local Education Fest II with Dark Rooms, Party Static, Pearl Earl and a number of other great local acts at Three Links on Saturday, June 18.


Mind Spiders - “Cold”

Better late than never, no? Mind Spiders teased their new album with the release of “Cold” in January and now, two months after the release of Prosthesis, they debuted the video for the lead single this month. Not a bad way to keep this toe-tapping post-punk track in our consciousness for nearly six months.

Quaker City Night Hawks - El Astronauta 

As written by The Dallas Morning News’ Hunter Hauk and Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Preston Jones, Quaker City Night Hawks are leading a “hit parade” of Americana along with the likes of Maren Morris and Charley Crockett. In just nine tracks and 38 minutes, this foursome wanders through sonics that few bands can tackle so nimbly. The three-track run of “Mockingbird,” which features crunchy guitar riffs to the groovy “Something to Burn” and “Beat the Machine,” which has a more traditional Americana feel, is a particularly impressive stretch.

Snow Tha Product - “Nights”  

It feels like forever since Snow Tha Product released new music, but with this “Nights” video released last week the Fort Worth resident offered up a two-for-one. The song is a departure from the hot-spitting, tough exterior we’re used to from Snow and it’s a bit refreshing. Although it may be a little too reminiscent of a Rihanna track, it’s nice to know Snow is willing to do all she can to finally achieve the mainstream success she's seemed poised for for so long. Not straying too far from her roots, the latter half of the track reminds us she delivers raps with the best of them. It’s a dichotomy that works for her and here’s hoping it catches on.

Lord Byron - “Metallic 6 Genesis 1:27 (214-7 3-8669)”



Devy Stonez - “The Invite ft. Danny Cainco”



Cantina - “Bulletproof”



Coach Tev - “Bougie Heaux w/ drugs + jemarcus bridges + mecca”



Jonathan Tyler - Riverbottom



Post Malone - August 26


Curtis Mayz - “SWANGIN ft. Mel of The Outfit, TX”