13 May 28 - June 3, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER | CONTENTS | UNFAIR PARK | SCHUTZE | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | MOVIES | DISH | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | Sounds of Summer From hip-hop to country and just about every genre in between, these 10 tracks from North Texas artists will start your summer on the perfect note. BY AUSTIN ZOOK T he whisper of spring in Texas is coming to a close, the weather is heating up, and a likely unforgiving summer is on the horizon. Whether you plan on spending it posted up with your friends at White Rock Lake, taking scenic drives up to Broken Bow for weekend getaways, or just throwing back a couple of cold ones at a Dallas brewery, you’ll need a killer soundtrack to tie to the memories you’re making. Sure, Drake dropped three mid albums that can keep you busy for a while, but why not go for something a little more bespoke and a lot more local? To assist, we have com- piled a list of 10 tracks, all from local artists, in no particular order that you should have on rotation this summer. Give them a listen and show some much-deserved love to homegrown musicians. “Girl on the Run” - Vandoliers If you’re ready to soak up some sun far away from Texas, the Vandoliers’ newest release should be blasting from your speakers when you cross the county line. Frontwoman Jenni Rose is never afraid of making big, anthemic declarations in her music, and “Girl on the Run” is no exception. It’s all about living in (and leaving) a state that contests your right to exist; a sonic shot of adrenaline if you’re an ally and a defiant slap in the face if you’re not. “2005” - Sunrise Academy Yakob Dye and Julian Sol Jordan’s Sunrise Academy project has been dropping dreamy, hypnotic tracks you can lose yourself in from day one. Perhaps more than any other band or artist spotlighted on this list, their music feels like summer. “2005” is their latest effort and one of their best to date, offering an easy-listening tune for Gen-Z and carefully calibrated to feel like falling in love with poppy, warm and effortless sensibilities. “Deep Ellum Blues” - Carson Lewis If you’re looking for something a little live- lier to get you in the mood for a night out, Carson Lewis’ ode to Dallas’ most famous neighborhood is a can’t-miss, must-listen piece of work. Funky and soulful, it cele- brates the way that a night out in Deep El- lum can help you find a new favorite band or bar. His claim that it’s a “no drama” zone is debatable, but what’s not debatable is how effectively Lewis has synthesized every- thing he loves about Deep Ellum into one rocking track. “27” - The Blue Line Michael and John Rodriguez’s The Blue Line is one of the most exciting talents on the local scene today. “27” plays in the tradi- tion of 2010s alternative hip-hop, calling to mind artists like iLoveMakonnen. If you do a deep dive into recent releases from inde- pendent artists, you’ll find a lot about being in love, but none that do a better job captur- ing the euphoric high of being in perfect sync with another human being. “Keepin’ On” - McKenzie Brown You’d be hard-pressed to find a new release with more personality and more attitude than McKenzie Brown’s “Keepin’ On.” The song is funny and refreshingly raw, all about the struggle to make ends meet when you feel like the cosmos is in opposition to you. “I don’t know about you, but it’s my first time on Earth/And I’m tired of feeling like an amateur,” she sings. Independent song- writing at its most relatable, this should be in regular rotation when you need to feel a little less alone this summer. “Another Life” - Shea Ferrara (feat. TUNDE) A boozy R&B-infused song that harkens back to the music of the early 2000s, the kind you should listen to at dusk with a glass of wine in hand, Shea Ferrara’s “An- other Life” is a sensual, melancholic reflec- tion on a relationship gone wrong. Ferrara’s smooth vocals are complemented by TUNDE’s guest appearance on the track, as she runs through her own verses and har- monizes with him. “Shoot Me Straight” - Joshua Ray Walker Beloved local musician Joshua Ray Walker is dropping his latest album, “Ain’t Dead Yet,” on May 29. He’s already released several advance tracks, but “Shoot Me Straight” feels special. It’s a bouncy, energetic declaration that there’s nothing he can’t take on, as long as you give it to him straight. After his well-publicized battle with cancer, it’s hard to argue with him on that point. And as with the best of his music, “Shoot Me Straight” is a catchy country tune that keeps the lyrics simple and focuses its experimentation on the underlying instrumentation. “Part 2” - Zillionaire Doe Zillionaire Doe has been a Dallas rapper to watch for some time now. He’s on a steady ascent, and his latest is an out- and-out flex of his lyrical chops. “Tapped in ev- erywhere/I got long reach,” he raps in “Part 2.” It’s more than just bravado; he’s something special, and it’s easy to imagine a world where his influ- ence is made manifest. The artist’s breathy delivery, smooth flow, and clubby beats combine to make “Part 2” the ultimate summer hype song. “Crazy Love” - Dev Wulf Dev Wulf’s songwriting chops and pristine guitarwork carry “Crazy Love” through from beginning to end. It’s an invitation to take comfort in love, literally “wrap yourself in a blanket” of it, and feel secure. It has shades of Jack Johnson’s sunnier tracks fused with something more atmospheric; a song for warm summer evenings sur- rounded by your favorite people, and yet an- other taste of the talent on display in Dallas’ music scene. “Flowers” - Gracen Wynn Indie darling Gracen Wynn is dropping this track June 2, but the Observer got to check it out slightly ahead of schedule. It’s a worthy addition to Wynn’s ever-expanding reper- toire and perhaps the most confident she has ever been on the microphone. A lot of songs on this list are about love found or love lost, but none tap into quite the same emo- tional undercurrent Wynn draws on in her songwriting, and her ethereal vocals are one-of-one. You can check out a preview of the song now on her Instagram and pre-save it wherever you listen to music. Carlos Cabello | B-SIDES | t Music Michael and John Rodriguez of The Blue Line capture the euphoria of love. GIVE THEM A LISTEN AND SHOW SOME MUCH- DESERVED LOVE TO HOMEGROWN MUSICIANS. 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