One of the dark horses in the indie pop world is definitely Kid Runner.

This market is so, so saturated. Yet, I have yet to happen upon a band that is pursuing the genre the way Kid Runner is. The airy vocals of Drew Lizon and Fran Litterski are just different enough to stand apart from one another, yet both compliment the music perfectly. Body Language is the third EP released from this group, and the band is getting more and more prolific as they come into their own with this release.

The thing about Body Language is that these melodies are so doggone catchy that I feel like I MUST have heard these somewhere before. Yet, I can’t place them. These are truly their songs, and I must be getting false Deja Vu. “Illuminate” feels familiar but I dig it so much I don’t really care if it feels familiar or not. Also, the synth tones here are something that is very distinct to this band. I heard this tone as far back as “Sleepytown” on the self-titled EP. The lead single “Give Me Something to Love” carries the same effect in its hook, in addition to having one of my favorite bass grooves I’ve heard this year.

What is new to the band though is a sort of maturity that appeals to all ages. Now that I think about it, this approach is present across all of their work but something about the structure of these songs – particularly “Don’t Change Me” and “Different Kind of Love.” Is it the whistling mixed with synths? I think that might just be a coincidence.

Another new experience from this EP is the feeling I get when listening to “Wet Cement.” It is by far the most pensive sounding song I’ve heard thus far from the band. While the range of atmospheres prior to Body Language seemed to be somewhere between “happy go lucky” and “relaxed summer afternoon” this song has the feeling of sipping a glass of wine with someone you care about at twilight.

So, in summary: Body Language is the most Kid Runner record Kid Runner has put out yet, if that makes sense.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/271386939″ /]

Score: 4.2/5

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