afghan raiders

Afghan Raiders

Afghan Raiders are a Las Vegas, United States duo made up of Mikey and Beans. They form in late 2007 after the end of their thrash band Golden Ax, and they build a style that combines electronic music with grunge, pop, dance, new wave, rock and indie influences. Their sound also sits within alt-electro, with elements of grime, electronica, experimental music and electro.

Style and themes

The pair describe their music as a mix of dance music and classic song structure, with strong hooks and a darker edge. Their songs often centre on overcoming difficult situations and end in a positive or uplifting way. Tracks such as “Admiral’s Doorbell,” “Future Thinkers” and “Solid Gold” show the contrast between melodic choruses, kinetic keyboards and distortion.

Early releases and label work

Afghan Raiders release their first song, “Solid Gold,” in February 2008 on MySpace, followed by “Future Thinkers” a few months later. The two songs appear together on the Future Thinkers/Solid Gold EP, issued in June 2008 on iTunes through their own Badical Beats label.

Live activity and remixes

Their live debut is opening for Broken Spindles, the project fronted by The Faint bassist Joel Peterson. After that show, Peterson asks them to remix The Faint’s “Mirror Error,” and the remix attracts attention on Spin.com. They also win Filter’s monthly remix contest with their Black Lips remix, “The Drop I Hold (Featuring GZA of Wu-Tang Clan)” [Afghan Raiders House Party Remix], which is personally selected by The Black Lips.

Performances and name

Afghan Raiders perform with acts including Muse and Metronomy, and appear at tastemaker electronic events such as Dim Mak Tuesday in Los Angeles and Blow Up SF in the Bay Area. They also play CMJ and SXSW. The name comes from a line in Amélie.