Son Of A Kid - Consider This Self-Defense

"I'm not afraid to enter the fray"

Sweden's Son Of A Kid (once part of the excellent synth-pop group Dyno/Set Fire Run) has been releasing new demos at a blistering pace. Many of them haven't connected that strongly with me, but they are only demos, so that's to be expected. This track, though, sounds like something that could have been released by Dyno. It's got that driving, full-production sound, especially in the chorus. It's what I first fell in love with when I heard this band/artist, and I'm glad to see that it's still in full force. I also like the lyrics and title, which promise the kind of emotive, aggressive pop song that definitely appeals to me. Best of all, the song can be downloaded for free by following the link below!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to (and download) his other stuff here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Two new songs by two of my favorite indie artists!

I've talked about both Son of a Kid and Tyson a lot on this blog and I don't necessarily have anything new to discuss, but I still wanted to feature this pair of tracks since they were just unleashed upon the world.

Son Of A Kid - Maybe We Could Be Enemies
Son of a Kid is really amping up with a fistful of excellent pop tracks. The beat on this one is just perfect. It's smart, quirky and--as always--expertly produced. And it's available for free download!

Maybe We Could Be Enemies by sonofakid

Tyson - After You're Gone
Tyson's new selection is a slow-burning, dramatic piece of 80's synth-soul. In other words, it's a natural continuation of everything he's already put out. He's on his way to an excellent debut album.

After You're Gone by TYSON

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Learn more about them here and here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Son Of A kid - Run Sucker Run

"You're staring into a loaded gun"

First they were Dyno, then Set Fire Run, and now it's Son Of A Kid. Luckily, with all of the name changes, the music hasn't changed all that much. It's remained incredibly strong. Son Of A Kid is now a solo project, but you're still gonna love it. Run Sucker Run packs a walloping chorus and some awesome, swirling production tricks. And best of all, it's up for free download! If you like this, I'd urge you to check out his other tracks on soundcloud, particularly the very 80's, all French Libertine (which is also a free download). I get the sense that this project is in its experimental phase and there's a lot of interesting stuff happening. Hopefully we'll get some solid news about possible releases down the line.

Run Sucker Run by sonofakid

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Skyship Academy: The Music - Day Five

It's the final day for SKYSHIP music! Today I'm focusing on another of Jesse's closest friends aboard the Academy but also one that can often rub him the wrong way:

EVA RODRIGUEZ

Who: fifteen-year-old trainee at the Academy ** highly knowledgeable about training expectations and procedures ** very competitive, and definitely more athletic/aggressive than Jesse

Songs:

Surferosa - The Future
Eva's songs are more in-your-face than anyone else's this week. She's a definite soldier and grade-A student, but also buys into the procedures and hierarchy of the Academy and the government as a whole. Always eager for an opportunity to advance her skills, she is optimistic in the ability of students like her to make a difference. This song, which combines aggression and passion, would be the kind of music to pump Eva up before battle.



Set Fire Run - Destroy! Destroy!
Jesse's indecision can drive Eva crazy. More often than not, she's pushing him into action when all he wants to do is hesitate. As brilliant as she is, Eva can sometimes get tunnel vision, especially during training missions. The straightforward battle cry of this track is a perfect representation of her worldview when she gets in a "battle" frame of mind.



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Son Of A Kid - Like You

"She asked me what my dreams were"

My beloved Set Fire Run (formerly known as Dyno) have changed their name yet again and are now Son Of A Kid. They've been a little vague about the reasoning behind this and what exactly it means, but it seems as if there's been a bit of shift in focus from the trio towards more of an individual artist. I could be wrong, though. What's important is that the music's still coming. Along with the name change, we've got a new song. Like You has been recorded in both a Son of a Kid version and a Set Fire Run version. Not being one to let things go easily, I'm a bit obsessed with the Set Fire Run recording. As usual, the standard's incredibly high. It might not be 100% commercial or trendy, but this is real pop music. Let's hope the third time's the charm and these guys break out the way they deserve to!

Like You (Set Fire Run version) by sonofakid

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. 'Like' the new facebook page here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Set Fire Run - A Trauma

"Can't you see this is a trauma?"

Every few months I like to post a Set Fire Run track. It serves two purposes: 1. It reminds everyone how consistently amazing they are, and 2. On the off chance you're visiting this blog for the first time, you get to discover one of this moment's best (and criminally underrated) bands. As a review, Set Fire Run used to be known as Dyno. They've crafted nearly enough perfect pop nuggets to fill two albums, have worked with the wonderful Erik Hassle, and are generally awesome. A Trauma is another in their arsenal of should-be-number-one hits -- a propulsive, synth-drenched anthem just waiting for radio to sit up and pay attention. This is grade-A pop music. I don't know what else I can say, really. I'll let the music speak for itself. It's just perfect. The guys really need an army of fans over on their facebook page, so if you haven't already "liked" them, please go and do so now. You won't regret it. They tend to stream a lot of their wonderful songs on the page for their fans.

A Trauma by Set Fire Run

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. "Like" the facebook page here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Set Fire Run - Undeniable (Blaming The Flaming Youth)

"I'm holding the kid inside responsible"

I know I just posted a song from these guys a couple of weeks ago, but with another 100 fans added to their facebook army, Set Fire Run have released another new song. I am so dead set on getting these guys the attention and success they deserve that I'll keep writing about tracks until it happens. A band can come out of nowhere with the right song, especially in a musically open country like Sweden. It happened with The Pusher (formally known as Fashion)--another severely under-known Swedish band who I wrote about all the way back in last August when only one or two others were. Their song, Blinded By The Dark, was a hit-in-waiting then, and now, over half a year later, it's come out of nowhere and is sitting at number one on the itunes singles chart. This is how it's supposed to happen, and this is the way I want it to happen for Set Fire Run (even, ironically, down to the name change). Any band who can release this many awesome songs (I've heard 20 originals and a cover thus far) in such a short space will reap rewards when the time is right. I think it's building for Set Fire Run right now, but like any indie upstart, they need support. Fan them on facebook, follow them on twitter. Etc etc. But above all else, marvel at their talent.

Undeniable (Blaming the Flaming Youth) by Set Fire Run

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Set Fire Run - I Don't Mind At All

"At least it means we're talking again"

It's 2011's first Set Fire Run post! There are bound to be many more. These guys are going to be big this year, dammit! They've just got to be. The sheer amount of epic tunes they've churned out pre-album is staggering. This is the latest: a herky-jerky synth attack that's been lodged in my head for the past week or so. With many of my favorite Swedish bands reaching their later years, it's about time we get a new breed on the radio. I would be overjoyed if Set Fire Run were a part of that. The guys have a new facebook page for their new name and, if you're not a "fan" of it yet, I urge you to go there and become one. They're always posting exclusive streams of tracks and tend to reveal more when they get more fans. It's a new age in the recording industry. Online and fan support is more important than ever. And Set Fire Run deserve to have an army behind them.

I Don't Mind At All by setfirerun

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Become a facebook fan here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Set Fire Run - Roki Road

"I know it will take me home"

Alienhits favorites Dyno have officially changed their name to Set Fire Run. I'm not really super excited or super annoyed (just sort of ambivalent), but it does give me an excuse to post another of their amazing pop songs. Roki Road has been around for awhile and is a prime example of this band's world-conquering synth-flavored sound. They are THE unjustly ignored band of 2010. Of course, they've yet to release much officially so I'm hoping that all this name-change business means that they're getting closer to invading radios (right where they should be). I feel like this is the full potential that the Killers never quite realized. The melodies are always tight, the production is flawless and the vocals are incredibly charismatic. This is definitely the kind of band I created this blog for.

Set Fire Run - Roki Road by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Friend them (under their new name) on facebook here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.