The Chain Gang of 1974 is the solo project of Kamtin Mohager — a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer born in San Jose, California and raised between Hawaii and Colorado. Drawing on the atmospheric synth-pop, post-punk, and shoegaze of the 1980s and '90s, Mohager has built one of indie electronic music's most distinctly personal catalogs over nearly two decades of releases.
He launched the project in 2007 after a stint as touring bassist for 3OH!3, self-releasing a series of EPs before his full-length debut White Guts arrived in 2010. The follow-up, Wayward Fire (2011), earned praise from Paste, Spin, and Consequence of Sound, establishing Mohager's signature sound: dense synth layers, melodic guitar, and confessional lyrics rooted in heartbreak and longing.
In 2013, the project gained worldwide recognition when "Sleepwalking" was featured in the official trailer and soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto V — one of the best-selling entertainment products of all time. The song became a cultural touchstone, and its parent album Daydream Forever (2014), released via Warner Bros. Records, marked Chain Gang's major label debut.
Subsequent albums Felt (2017, Caroline Records), produced by Thom Powers of The Naked and Famous, and the independent Honey Moon Drips (2020) on his own Fever Ltd. imprint, cemented Mohager's reputation as a craftsman of emotionally resonant electronic pop. He has collaborated with Dillon Francis, Jai Wolf, Flux Pavilion, and The Naked and Famous, and performed at Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, and Austin City Limits.
Alongside Chain Gang, Mohager co-founded the grunge project Heavenward and previously served as bassist and vocalist for Teenage Wrist. He continues to release music independently through Fever Ltd., with a prolific run of singles in 2026 including "End Credits" (with Slow Magic), "Thinking Of You," "Forever Your Star," and "Crying."
The Chain Gang of 1974 will release the album "Honey Moon Drips" on May 29, 2020, comprising 13 alternative indie pop tracks including singles like "Bends" and "The Hurt is Good." Fans of artists blending indie and pop sounds may find this release appealing.
The Chain Gang of 1974's fourth album, produced by Thom Powers of The Naked and Famous and released June 2017 on Caroline Records. Nine tightly constructed synth-pop tracks — including a guest spot from Alisa Xayalith and a Curt Smith cameo in the "Slow" video — mark Felt as Mohager's most confident and emotionally mature work.
The Chain Gang of 1974's major-label debut on Warner Bros., released February 2014 and produced with Isom Innis of Foster the People. Home to "Sleepwalking" — which became widely known through its GTA V placement — it's Mohager's most polished and commercially reaching statement, equal parts Tears for Fears and M83.
The Chain Gang of 1974's second album, released June 2011 on Modern Art Records. A sprawling, emotionally charged 11-track set written in LA after a breakup, drawing on post-punk, new wave, and Fleetwood Mac-era mood — Mohager at his most cinematic and unfiltered.
The debut full-length from The Chain Gang of 1974, released in 2010 on Kamtin Mohager's own Fever Ltd. imprint. Ten tracks of synth-pop, post-punk, and electro built from Daft Punk-esque hooks and reverb-drenched vocals that drew early comparisons to Passion Pit and LCD Soundsystem.
The Chain Gang of 1974 — the solo synth-pop project of Denver-raised, Los Angeles-based musician Kamtin Mohager — has released a new standalone single called "Crying," out today June 17, 2026 via his own Fever Ltd. imprint.
The track is now streaming on Spotify and Apple Music and can be watched via an official music video on YouTube.
"Crying" arrives as part of a prolific run of independent releases from Mohager in 2026, following singles "End Credits" (a collaboration with Slow Magic), "Thinking Of You," and "Forever Your Star." Together they paint a picture of an artist fully back in solo-mode and writing at a steady clip outside the album cycle.
The Chain Gang of 1974 first gained widespread recognition when "Sleepwalking" appeared in Grand Theft Auto V and its official trailer in 2013. Since then, Mohager has released five studio albums — most recently Honey Moon Drips (2020) on Fever Ltd. — while also co-founding the grunge project Heavenward and previously serving as bassist and vocalist for Teenage Wrist.
Stream "Crying" below.