Matías Roden’s “On the Run” Marries Cowboy Surrealism with Synth-Pop and Sharp Political Reflection

Vancouver-based pop artist Matías Roden latest single is “On the Run” – a melancholic, joyful, and ultimately bittersweet synth-pop track about a common gay male experience: the fear of commitment and the instinct to flee just as things start to get real. It’s a “pre-heartbreak song,” as Roden calls it, capturing the electric high of early romance alongside the creeping sense of its inevitable end.

Framed by country-inspired songwriting, dark synth textures, and a hooky pop-rock spirit, “On the Run” channels disparate influences – from sunset car rides to Depeche Mode – into a compelling story of fleeting love and fragile connection. Co-produced with acclaimed Canadian artist Louise Burns, the song features drums crafted entirely by Roden, who chopped and stitched together samples to build the pulsing heartbeat of the track.

Written after a short-lived relationship where both intimacy and impermanence were inescapable, “On the Run” leans into dualities: sparse, minimalist verses that give way to denser, sweeping choruses before stripping back to near silence in its final moments. The ebb and flow echo the unpredictable rhythms of desire, fear, and longing.

The official video for “On the Run” mirrors the song’s wistful tension with a clever country-inspired concept that blends queer visibility and political commentary. It follows two cowboys fleeing America for Canada, culminating in a kiss beneath a massive Canadian flag – a direct nod to Bruce Springsteen’s iconic “Born in the USA” imagery (as is the single artwork which is a mirror image of Springsteen’s iconic Born in the USA album cover, just with a Canadian flag instead of American). It features a defiantly Canadian twist at a time where the country is grappling with issues of nationhood and identity as its relationship with its southern neighbour is tested.

Featuring actor Connor Riopel (Amazon Prime’s Laid), the video pays tribute to Roden’s adopted homeland while sparking conversation about LGBTQ+ rights, national identity, and belonging.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhjTql2Jq8Y&feature=youtu.be