Josué Kinter was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona to a multi-ethnic family. With one side of the family hailing from Puerto Rico and the other side claiming roots in Europe and the American South, Josué grew up against a backdrop of diverse cultural and musical elements. He studied Art, Jazz, AV Production, and Music Theory in school; while participating in Phoenix’s budding underground art scene in tandem.
After years of playing in local punk and indie groups, Kinter decided to embark on a solo career. He began recording his first album, 2019’s “Dreamy Draw”, with a collection of experimental Americana songs which he had written over the last several years. The production was a DIY venture, recorded at home and mixed by the artist himself. He also produced his first music video at this time, “Three Thousand Miles”. Drawing comparisons to Lee Hazlewood, Sanford Clark, and Tom Waits, the album gained some local attention; and nodded towards his lifelong interest in country, jazz, and blues.
In 2022, Josué released his sophomore album “NIGHTBLOOMING”. Inspired by chameleon artists such as David Bowie or Scott Walker, this album greatly expands on the soundscapes of it’s predecessor. Exploring a darker and more nuanced sound, it ranges from anthemic post-punk in THERE to dreamy folk ballads like Sun Song and Ribbon Bow. This venture showcased Kinter’s dexterity in shifting from genre to genre while maintaining a cohesive atmosphere. The lead single “THERE” was featured in a beautiful collaborative music video with Michael Buckias that many reviewers compared to an A24 movie. NGHTBLOOMING was well-received and reviewed by an international smattering of blogs and publications.
In his latest offering, the upcoming EP “Such Empty Pleasures”, Josué Kinter has departed from the ensemble production of his previous work to explore heavier territory with a full backing band. The first single “Yr Not Safe” delivers droning keys and a dark, nihilistic groove reminiscent of Stooges or Sonic Youth. The music video is once again self-directed and shot on a budget of less than $100. Nonetheless Josué delivers a moody fever-dream experience with unhinged circus revelry. The rest of the album promises to explore new textures and territory from Lynchian crooners to Gothic Americana chaos a la Nick Cave. As always, Josué Kinter continues to create work that points towards new directions and refuses to be easily defined.