Kills Kids

This Arizona act came with fresh ideas derived from different corners of the 2000s internet – chiptune, 8-bit remixes, blog rap – and the result was the first time synth punk had sounded contemporary in a long time. Vocalist N8 Noface’s bratty, nasal delivery was genuinely unhinged. Buzzing monosynths and skittering machine beats drove the brief, catchy songs (“I Don’t Love Her” and “I Don’t Wanna Die”), and the record nearly sounded like an electro version of Bad Brains.