Stepping out of a post-apocalyptic Earth in the year 2064, a world where Machines rule the roads, but the Blues still breathe, humanoid Howlin’ Chip roams a scorched world armed with a guitar and the assistance of his mechanical wolf. The futuristic blues lover keeps fragments of human memory alive through funky music that he describes as “raw, cinematic and soulful.”
Howlin’ Chip is a solo concept project that was conceived around the urge to howl at the world. It expresses anger, sorrow and resilience in the face of what humanity has done and continues to do wrong, exploring themes like climate change, social injustice, lost dreams and resistance.
In Howlin’ Chip’s words: “It’s the creation of a musician fascinated by the blues, rock, and the human condition. The idea came from imagining a future where Earth has been ravaged by climate collapse and humanity’s mistakes. In this devastated world, a guitar-wielding humanoid roams the ashes with his mechanical wolf, carrying music as the last fragment of human memory and rebellion.
“Howlin’ Chip is like a post-apocalyptic blues sermon. Imagine the grit of Gary Clark Jr., the intensity of Rage Against the Machine, and the storytelling soul of Tom Waits — all set in a dystopian world. It’s about heavy guitar textures, emotional vocals, and music that feels cinematic and alive, carrying a message of resistance.”
To give us a taste of this, Howlin’ Chip sent us Our House Is Burning, the opening track of his debut album The Soul of the Circuit, which was released at the end of last month. It opens up in style with a cool driving riff that feeds into the big chorus vocals “Our house is burning, We look away, The ashes rise, taking our mistakes, The earth is choking, bound by our chains, But we close our eyes, Ignoring our pain.” The pace drops in a laid-back verse that paints the picture of a desolate world, picking up pace with superb storytelling before bursting into a big singalong chorus. The pace drops again as the song points out the dire situation facing the world before offering a crumb of hope before a big final chorus.
On the track, Howlin’ Chip told us: “Our House Is Burning has been warmly received by listeners who resonate with strong messages and emotional authenticity. It’s a track built on heavy blues-rock riffs and a cinematic atmosphere, carrying an urgent cry about climate collapse. Listeners should expect a raw and passionate blues-rock sound, filled with a deep sense of urgency — a warning shot for a world on fire.”
The album is packed with plenty more blues-infused goodness, including the more traditionally bluesy We Shall Fight and the more laid-back A Man’s Dream and the funky final track Runnin’ Free.
The Howlin’ Chip sound is influenced by artists like Gary Clark Jr., Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Rival Sons and the raw energy of Rage Against the Machine. It also draws on classic blues legends like Muddy Waters and Son House and the cinematic intensity of Pink Floyd, especially music of their The Wall era.
And on what inspires his music, Howlin’ Chip explains: “I’m deeply influenced by the world we live in — and the one we might leave behind. Key themes in Howlin’ Chip’s music include ecological collapse, social injustice, lost dreams, human resilience, and the power of memory. Every song is like a piece of a larger story: the fight to preserve something meaningful in a world falling apart.”
If you like what you heard from Howlin’ Chip so far, then the good news is he has a second album in progress. The second album will dive even deeper into the human stories behind the resistance, staying true to the raw, bluesy emotional style but with even more breathing space for guitars and storytelling. And he teases us that live shows could be a possibility in the near future.
And he added: “If you dive into Howlin’ Chip’s world, you’re stepping into a story where music is memory, resistance, and survival. Every song is part of a journey. Thank you for listening — and for believing that music can still howl for what truly matters.”
You can read the fascinating Howlin’ Chip story in full here, and check out his music on Spotify and Apple Music.
GigRadar 
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