In Our Headphones

Ahead of the 36th Annual Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, we chat with John Gilbreath, long-time host of KEXP’s Jazz Theatre. He spotlights a few of the artists playing – offering everything from an R&B-infused song to a meditative flute-led track – and closes out his set with a classic from the great “Ambassador of Jazz” and the story of how he fell in love with radio. The Earshot Jazz Festival runs from October 17th through November 3rd in various venues throughout Seattle. 

Our Associate Music Director Alex Ruder ends the episode with not one, but two tracks from a new Brussels-based group that he has on loop. 

1. Shabaka - “Breathing”
2. Afrocop - “Get In, Let’s Ride”
3. Wayne Shorter - “Footprints (Live)”
4. Dizzy Gillespie - “Theme from The Cool World”
5. Another Dancer - “How to, Slow" + "You Know Where I Start" 

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to John Gilbreath every other Monday from 1-3am PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones

Contact us at [email protected]

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we meet Kelley Stoltz, one of KEXP’s newest DJs as the co-host of Vinelands, our Bay Area local music show broadcasting there on 92.7 FM. Kelley shares an ode to summer camp, an intended TV theme song from an alt-rock legend, a track he himself plays sitar on (an In Our Headphones first!), and the band who made his young rock star dreams come true.

Our Music Director Chris Sanley closes out the show with a fantastic psych-pop song that takes you on an aural trip around the world.

1. Anna Erhard - “Campsite”
2. Kim Deal - “Crystal Breath”
3. Robyn Hitchcock - “Vacations in the Past”
4. Echo & the Bunnymen - “Silver”
5. Kit Sebastian - "Bul Bul Bul"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Kelley Stoltz on Vinelands every other Saturday from 6-9 PM PT on 92.7 in the Bay Area, or check out the Vinelands show archive here.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Roddy Nikpour
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

It’s not too late to support us during KEXP's Fall Drive – find out how at: kexp.org/headphones

Contact us at [email protected]

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this episode, we welcome one of KEXP's newest DJs, Gabriel Lopez. Gabriel is the co-host of the weekly show Vinelands, which launched in August as part of KEXP's new Bay Area broadcast (92.7 FM), and spotlights music from the surrounding scenes. He talks about what's been exciting him about music from the Bay Area, then shares a dreamy and joyful ambient track from Oakland in the 90s that was recently rediscovered. He also recommends a track that bring West Asian folk into the club, talks about what makes the "Oakland techno" sound, and shares some enveloping shoegaze from an emerging group.

Then, Music Director Chris Sanley brings us a song about seeking home to ease us into fall.

Songs featured:

1. Peter Barclay - “Love It In The Sun"
2. Lara Sarkissian - “Ages Pass, No Tidings Come” 
3. Darlynn - “Like A Summer"
4. figure eight - “altar”
5. Merce Lemon - "Crow” 

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Gabriel Lopez on Vinelands every other Saturday from 6-9pm PT on 92.7 in the Bay Area, or check out the Vinelands show archive at kexp.org/shows/vinelands/ 

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast during KEXP's Fall Drive and get some new merch: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As KEXP kicks off Aqui y Ahora – our special programming for Latinx Heritage Month – we welcome Albina Cabrera back to the podcast to talk about the kick-off day's on-air programming, as well as KEXP’s Mexico City broadcast, taking place in October. We spotlight four of the bands playing the El Sonido Live event on October 19 at Foro Indie Rocks, covering everything from shoegaze to Indigenous punk.

Plus, our Music Director Chris Sanley helps us celebrate Aqui y Ahora with one of the most upbeat tracks on depression we’ve ever had the pleasure to hear.

1. Descartes a kant - “The Mess We’ve Made”
2. La ciencia simple - “Un río interminable”
3. Melenas - “Ahora”
4. Los Cogelones - “Danza Del Sol”
5. Hinds - "En Forma"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to El Sonido with Albina Cabrera every Monday from 7-10 PM PT, or anytime on the two-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: Jackson Long
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Riz Rollins, also known as DJ Riz, recently celebrated 35 years at KEXP. He hosts Drive Time every Monday from 4-7pm Pacific Time and is one of the rotating hosts on Expansions, the Sunday night mix show originally inspired by trip-hop and acid jazz. His sets incorporate jazz, rock, hip-hop, funk, and everything in between, always with soul.

To celebrate Riz's 35-year milestone, we get two extra song recommendations in this episode! Isabel joins Riz at his house to discuss 4 new songs and 2 old favorites (remixed, because Riz loves a good remix). They also talk about his origins and inspirations as a DJ, imposter syndrome, and the influence faith and gospel have had on his life and trajectory. As expected, Riz shares much wisdom along the way. (Note: the first song recommendation starts around 10:23).

To finish the episode, Associate Music Director (and fellow Expansions DJ) Alex Ruder shares a song that's perfect for a chill out room or after party, and also serves as a nod to his mentor Riz.

1. Samora Pinderhughes - “Better”  
2. Meshell Ndegeocello - “Trouble”
3. The Folk Implosion - “Moonlit Kind”
4. Tristan de Liège - “New Symmetry (feat. Bryony Jarman-Pinto)"
5. Erykah Badu - “Soldier (Supa Ape Remix)”
6. Pharoah Sanders - “You Got To Have Freedom (Opolopo Tweak)”
7. HNNY - “I Let Go”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to DJ Riz on Drive Time every Monday from 4-7pm PT, monthly on Expansions, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lace Cadence is the host of KEXP’s “The Continent,” which showcases the many of genres and styles across Africa, from AfroBeats to Amapiano, Soukous to Mbalax. In this episode, Lace joins Janice to share two tracks – covering the spectrum of African house music, from a classic-style jam to Amapiano. (Plus, throws a curveball in the middle, with a nod to his ‘90s Seattle roots!) 

And speaking of “‘90s Seattle,” KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares the latest single from local trio Black Ends, who bring their own style of grunge they call “gunk pop.”

1. Gaba Cannal and Zaba - “Emthandayo (featuring Sykes)”  
2. Drain - “Run Your Luck"
3. Felo Le Tee, Scotts Maphuma, and Thabza Tee - “Yebo Lapho (Gogo)”
4. Fela Kuti and Africa ‘70 - “Water No Get Enemy”
5. Black Ends - “Bent”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Lace Cadence on "The Continent" every Friday from 7-10pm PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Our Headphones will be back next week with song recommendations from Lace Cadence, host of The Continent.

But this week, we'd like to share another KEXP podcast: The Cobain 50, which explores the famous list Kurt Cobain left behind in one of his journals naming his Top 50 albums. Hosted by Martin Douglas and Dusty Henry, the series digs into a different album from the list each week, discussing its influence on Nirvana and the bigger themes still resonating today.

On this episode, Dusty Henry dives into 'Surfer Rosa' by The Pixies. It's arguably the most influential "alternative music" album of the 90s — not just for Nirvana, but artists worldwide. Surfer Rosa was Nevermind before Nevermind.

Subscribe to The Cobain 50 wherever you get your podcasts.

Support KEXP podcasts at kexp.org/headphones.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KEXP Variety Mix DJ Reeves shares a sinister ambient track, some optimistic indie rock, and changes the show name to In Our Chat Pile, in honor of the Oklahoma City-based band. He also shares a sweet story and shout-out to his Dad. Plus, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares a hypnotic track from a long-time KEXP fave band, that she describes as the “middle ground between Radiohead and Young Fathers.“

1. Lustmord - “Entrails of the God Machine” 
2. Chat Pile - "I am Dog Now"
3. Rui Gabriel - “Target”
4. Drive-By Truckers - “Gravity's Gone” 
5. Wand - "Mistletoe"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to DJ Reeves on Saturdays from 2-6 AM PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this special edition of In Our Headphones, KEXP’s Editorial Team comes together to share their contenders for this year’s “Song of the Summer.” From synth pop and breezy yacht rock to UK garage and the diss track to end them all, each contributor brings their own take on what makes the perfect summer track.

Songs featured:

1. Buscabulla - “11:11” (Albina Cabrera’s pick)
2. Mt Fog - “Drifting” (Roddy Nikpour’s pick)
3. Chris Cohen - “Night or Day” (Janice Headley’s pick)
4. Empress Of - “Kiss Me (feat. Rina Sawayama)” (Emily Fox’s pick)
5. J.P. - “Bad Bitty” (Larry Mizell Jr’s pick)
6. Kendrick Lamar - “Not Like Us" (Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas’ pick)
7. Bklava - “all around me” (Isabel Khalili’s pick)

Send your own "Song of the Summer" to [email protected]. 

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Explore the work of KEXP’s Editorial Team on https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/ .

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Roddy Nikpour
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DJ Michele Myers shares her song-based approach to DJ’ing and her philosophy for choosing positive messaging in music, like the infectious dance-friendly tracks she spotlights in this episode.

Plus, KEXP Associate Music Director Alex Ruder shares a beautiful tribute from a young South-East London-based artist to his late sister.

1. Justice - “Mannequin Love”
2. Ana Tijoux - “Ninx”
3. St. Vincent - “Broken Man”
4. ODESZA - "Across the Room (feat. Leon Bridges)”
5. Jim Legxacy - “nothings changed (!)”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to DJ Michele Myers live every Tuesday from 10pm to 1am Pacific Time, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evie Stokes joins us to talk about what she has in store for listeners as KEXP’s new Drive Time host (Tuesdays through Fridays), then shares three standout tracks she’s had in her headphones lately. Ranging from art-pop to psychedelic jazz and soul, every recommendation deals with some heavy themes while being completely danceable.

Plus, Music Director Chris Sanley shares an emotional track from the artist she calls one of the greatest songwriters of our time.

Songs featured:

1. Remi Wolf - "Cinderella"
2. Crumb - "Genie"
3. MRCY - "Flowers In Mourning"
4. Björk - "Army of Me"
5. Cassandra Jenkins - "Omakase” 

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Evie Stokes Tuesdays through Fridays from 4-7pm PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The great Kevin Cole talks about his “remix, not retirement,” as he steps down from Drive Time at the end of this week and transitions to a weekly show, starting in August. Plus, he shares songs from a Civil Rights legend, a pop music “it girl,” and an unclassifiable band from the Czech Republic.

Then, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares a chaotic, yet melodic track from an Austin art-punk band.

1. Mavis Staples - “Worthy”
2. Charli XCX - “360"
3. Manon meurt - “Marrow”
4. Television - “Marquee Moon”
5. Font - “It”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Starting in late August, you can listen to Kevin Cole in his new slot every Sunday 3-6pm PT, or anytime on the two-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tory J, co-host of KEXP’s global Indigenous music show “Sounds of Survivance” talks with Isabel about how sound and music inform Indigenous life, dispelling myths about Indigenous peoples through his show, and his deep love of Rez Metal. He shares three new songs touching on shoegaze, metal, jazz, plus one foundational track.

Then, Music Director Chris Sanley shares why she’s dancing and weeping to the new single posthumously released from hyper-pop icon SOPHIE.

Songs featured:

1. Deerlady - "Seeing Two"
2. Under Exile - "Throne of Ashes"
3. Tharun Sankar - "In Between"
4. David Maxim Micic - "Smile"
5. SOPHIE - "Reason Why (feat. Kim Petras & BC Kingdom)"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Sounds of Survivance with Tory J and Kevin Sur every Monday from 3-5am PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DJ Chilly talks about stepping down as co-host of El Sonido, KEXP’s Modern Latin music show that he founded 14 years ago, and shares three tracks that run the gamut from jazz to grindcore to his favorite genre of all time, soul.

Plus, KEXP Associate Music Director Alex Ruder shares a chilled-out track that’s been in his headphones, unintentionally tying together this episode’s theme of “home.”

1. DJ Green Lantern - “Falling For Jazz”"
2. BRAT - “Human Offense”
3. J Noa - “Arrogante”
4. Ohio Players - “Here Today And Gone Tomorrow”
5. ZG - “Feels Like Home”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Catch DJ Chilly’s latest shows on his DJ page on KEXP.org.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albina Cabrera, host of El Sonido and KEXP’s Latin Partnerships and Editorial Manager, joins Isabel for our quarterly Latin music highlight. As we pass the half-year mark, Albina takes stock of some of her favorite albums of the year so far and shares four standout tracks, ranging from industrial synth to hazy indie punk and universal tales of love and loss.

As always, we end with one recommendation from KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley, this time bringing us cumbia-inspired avant-pop with ancestral depth.

1. Mueran Humanos - "Dentaduras"
2. Las Nubes - "Would Be"
3. Luisa Almaguer - "Un día nos vamos a morir"
4. La Zorra Zapata - "El Invento"
5. Angelica Garcia - "Juanita"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to El Sonido with Albina Cabrera every Monday at 7-10 PM PT, or anytime on the two-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DJ Kennady Quille, host of KEXP’s Pacific Northwest music show, Audioasis, shares three songs with a Northwest focus, as well as the first new music in 19 years from a legendary Olympia, WA queercore band. Plus, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares a stunning slow-burn single off the debut LP of a Brooklyn-based artist on the verge of a breakout.

Songs featured:

1. Thavoron - “Body”
2. VIANNE - “SUPERSONIC”
3. Pantsuitguy - “Speedracer”
4. Team Dresch - “Your Hands My Pockets”
5. Zsela - "Lily Of The Nile"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Kennady Quille on Audioasis live every Saturday from 6 to 9pm Pacific Time, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: Jackson Long
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg Vandy is the host of The Roadhouse, KEXP’s Sunday morning roots and American music show. He talks with Isabel Khalili about how the show is more about a feeling than a genre, and how he uses music to draw connections between the past and present. Then he shares three songs he’s been loving lately, from 60’s girl group harmonies to a soulful expression of joy, plus one lesser known track from the inventor of the power chord.

Lastly, we hear from KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley about a powerful indie collaboration recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

Songs featured:

1. The Lostines - “A Tear”
2. Scott Ballew - “True Love Can’t Surf”
3. Allison Russell - “The Returner”
4. Link Wray - “From Tulsa To North Carolina”
5. IAN SWEET & Porridge Radio - "Everyone's A Superstar"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to Greg Vandy on The Roadhouse live every Sunday from 9am to noon Pacific Time, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janice sits down with Larry Rose to discuss his DJ beginnings 30 years ago and how he’s seen radio evolve. Then they get into the stories behind three new song recommendations and a 1980’s “Pride” classic that holds special meaning for Larry.

Plus, KEXP’s Associate Music Director Alex Ruder shares a song that brings him back to what he appreciated about early- 2000s “indietronica” sounds.

Songs featured:

1. brother bird - “State of Mind”
2. Dehd - “Light On”
3. Catching Flies - “GLY”
4. Bronski Beat - “Smalltown Boy”
5. Jens Kuross - "Savage Lullaby"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Catch Larry Rose’s latest shows on his DJ page on KEXP.org.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isabel chats with DJ Miss Ashley about four songs that are playing in her headphones lately and one foundational track that ties them all together. Plus, Ashley shares a protest song that doesn't hold back. Then, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares one standout release that’s an early summer bop.

Songs featured:

1. Mumu Fresh – “Be Good To You" 
2. Tierra Whack – “Shower Song"
3. Beyoncé – "Texas Hold 'Em"
4. Lauryn Hill – “To Zion”
5. Macklemore – "Hind’s Hall" 
6. Ginger Root  – "No Problems"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Listen to DJ Miss Ashley live every Sunday from noon to 3pm Pacific Time, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Mastered by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Overnight DJ Mike Ramos shares some songs that have been in his headphones lately, from a dirty-south-tinged track that’s an early contender for “Song of the Summer” to a chiptune jam named for an early virtual pet. Plus, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares her own “Song of the Summer,” a standout release recently added to KEXP’s rotation.

Songs featured:

1. Tommy Richman - "MILLION DOLLAR BABY"
2. Seiji Oda - "A Gentle Gigg"
3. Young Miko - "tamagotchi"
4. Nia Archives - "Forbidden Feelingz"
5. Fcukers - "Bon Bon"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify, or on the KEXP website. 

Listen to Mike Ramos on Monday nights / Tuesday mornings from 1-5 AM PT, and on-demand via the KEXP website and app.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janice Headley chats with her work BFF Sharlese, host of Mechanical Breakdown, about the four (dark) songs playing in her headphones lately. They also chat about World Goth Day, airing all day on KEXP Wednesday May 22 (and available on the archive for two weeks after). Plus, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley returns from Radio Camp with a standout release recently added to KEXP’s rotation.

Songs featured:

1. Nina Belief – "Siren of Silence"
2. Gwendoline – "Conspire"
3. Police des mœurs – "Commencement"
4. Eleven Pond – "Watching Trees"
5. Fontaines DC – "Starburster"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify, or on the KEXP website. 

Listen to Mechanical Breakdown with Sharlese, every Friday night (Saturday morning) from 1-3 AM PT, or anytime on the two-week archive, at KEXP.org, or the KEXP App:

https://www.kexp.org/shows/mechanical-breakdown/

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Editorial Director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected]

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isabel Khalili sits down with Brian, Jenn, and Dr. West, hosts of KEXP’s punk show Sonic Reducer, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. After reminiscing about the origins and evolution of the show, each DJ shares a new short, fast ‘n loud track they’re excited about. Plus, we hear about the show’s namesake song and what makes it an all-time great.

As always, we end on one standout release from KEXP’s Music Director team. This time, we hear about a sprawling track with an unconventional story from Associate Music Director Alex Ruder.

Songs featured:

1. Jean Mignon – “Cause I'm Scared”
2. Candy Apple – "Pull the Plug"
3. Powerplant – "She (Misfits Cover)”
4. Dead Boys – "Sonic Reducer"
5. pigbaby – "Texas Girl"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify.

Listen to Sonic Reducer with Jenn, Brian, and Dr. West every Saturday at 9-midnight PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: William Myers
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

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To celebrate the start of “Pushing Boundaries,” KEXP’s programming for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Isabel Khalili chats with Diana Ratsamee. Diana is the host of Eastern Echoes, KEXP’s weekly show exploring music of all styles from Asia and the Asian diaspora. They talk about the 1980’s Lao song that connects Diana with her family’s story, plus three new songs that span the globe, from brain-tingling electro-punk from Southern China to Middle Eastern surf rock.

And, as always, we hear about one standout release recently added to KEXP’s rotation, straight from KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley.

Songs featured:

1. Sothy – “Lam Seung Bang Fai”
2. South Acid Mimi – “The End”
3. Habibi – “On The Road”
4. TamTam –  “Ramble In the Rainbow”
5. Mei Semones – “Tegami”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify.

Listen to Eastern Echoes with Diana Ratsamee every Thursday at 7-10pm PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

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Janice Headley chats with Albina Cabrera, co-host of El Sonido, KEXP’s modern Latin music show, and also our Latin Partnerships and Editorial Manager. Albina shares highlights from her recent travels to SXSW in Austin, TX, and the Isle of Light music festival in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, plus three songs that are playing in her headphones lately, and one that reminds her of moving to Seattle.

And, as always, we hear about one standout release recently added to KEXP’s rotation, straight from KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley.

Songs featured:

1. AEREA – “+”
2. Otro – “Hausu” 
3. Mon Laferte – “Autopoietica”
4. ela minus – “el cielo no es de nadie”
5. Baby Rose & BADBADNOTGOOD – “On My Mind”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify.

Listen to El Sonido with Albina Cabrera and DJ Chilly every Monday at 7-10 PM PT, or anytime on the two-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.
Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear
Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected]. 

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In this episode, Isabel Khalili talks with Kevin Sur, co-host of KEXP's global Indigenous music show, Sounds of Survivance. They discuss the way he approaches his show and defining "Indigeneity," then Kevin shares the stories behind three new songs he's been loving. He also talks about his journey to find the origins of a West Papuan funk track from the 70s, and what it taught him about their freedom struggle.

Plus, KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley shares a haunting new track about isolation and connection.

1. Y La Bamba – “Nunca”
2.  T H R O N E – “Wrestling God”
3. Wyatt C. Louis – “Dancing With Sue"
4. The Black Brothers – “Saman Doye”
5. mary in the junkyard - "ghost"

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify.

Listen to Sounds of Survivance with Kevin Sur and Tory J every Monday from 3-5am PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Isabel Khalili and Janice Headley
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected]

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On our inaugural episode of In Our Headphones, host Janice Headley chats with Cheryl Waters about three new songs that are playing in her headphones lately, plus one song that stands the test of time for her. They also talk about how Cheryl got her start as a DJ and some stand-out memories from hosting Live on KEXP in-studio sessions.

Plus, as always, we hear about one standout single recently added to KEXP’s rotation, straight from Music Director Chris Sanley.

Songs featured:

1. Brimheim - “Fell Through the Ice”
2. English Teacher - “R&B”
3. Lair - “Tatalu”
4. Heart - “Crazy On You”
5. Rilo Kiley - "The Execution Of All Things"
6. Hana Vu - “Hammer”

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones 2024" playlist on Spotify.

Listen to The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters every weekday at 10-1 PT, or anytime on the 2-week archive, at KEXP.org or the KEXP App.

Hosted and produced by: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Mixed by: Emily Fox
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

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Introducing KEXP’s newest music discovery podcast. In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. We learn stories and insights about the artists, make connections between the music and the world around us, and get to know the diverse roster of DJs that make up the KEXP airwaves. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery. Our first episode launches Monday April 15 with the legendary Cheryl Waters.

Hosts: Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili
Trailer mixed by: Roddy Nikpour
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.

Our theme music is “好吗 (Hao Ma)” by Chinese American Bear

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
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Before introducing you to 2024's most downloaded Song of the Day, Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili share an exciting update about what's to come on this feed on Monday, April 15.

Song of the Day has brought listeners full song downloads every weekday for nearly 20 years – that's close to 5,000 songs! We appreciate you being along for the ride, and we hope you'll stick with us as we evolve the series to bring you more of what KEXP does best: music discovery with a human touch. 

Next week, this feed will become "In Our Headphones." Like Song of the Day, you'll still be getting 5 new songs each week, but now you'll hear about them straight from KEXP DJs. Stay tuned for our first episode featuring Cheryl Waters.

Feedback, questions, suggestions? Email us at [email protected].

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Isabel Khalili brings us back to 2023 with ODESZA & Yellow House's "Heavier." Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Janice Headley brings us back to 2022 with Samora Pinderhughes' “Masculinity (feat. Immanuel Wilkins)”. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Isabel Khalili brings us back to 2021 with Bizarrap, Duki & Nicki Nicole's "YaMeFui" chosen by Albina Cabrera and DJ Chilly. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Janice Headley brings us back to 2020 with Chicano Batman's "I Know It," chosen by Kevin Cole. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Isabel Khalili brings us back to 2019 with Hezza Fezza's "Like Prince," chosen by Kevin Cole. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Janice Headley brings us back to 2018 with Among Author's "Lure," chosen by Kevin Cole. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Isabel Khalili brings us back to 2017 with Nilüfer Yanya's "Baby Luv," selected by Kevin Cole. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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On April 15, a new music discovery podcast is coming to this feed.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, Janice Headley brings us back to 2016 with Morgan Delt's "Some Sunsick Day," chosen by John Richards. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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KEXP's Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili make an appearance on Song of the Day for a special announcement. Change is coming to this feed on April 15.

Until then, we're counting down ten of the most downloaded songs from each of the last ten years. Today, we revisit Mike Gervais' "Lost (Sone Remix)" from 2015, selected by Sharlese. Read more about the track on KEXP.org.

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Chalk - "Asking" from the 2023 Conditions EP on Dutch Tilt

Belfast-based post-punk trio Chalk reflect on past relationships on today's Song of the Day. As vocalist Ross Cullen explains in a press release, “It’s a reaction to feelings of ours that look at the past and a longing for others who aren’t in your life anymore. How we grow as people and those we leave behind as a result. We wanted 'Asking' to follow the recollection of someone whose memories are fading when trying to remember about someone in the past."

The track appears on Conditions, their debut EP which was released last year. Their follow-up EP, titled Conditions II, was released earlier this month. 

Read the full story at KEXP.org

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Bantu Spaceship - "Bantu Cakes" from the 2023 album Bantu Spaceship on Nyami Nyami

Harare, Zimbabwe-based duo Bantu Spaceship celebrates the music of their homeland with their Afro-futuristic self-titled debut album, out now via Nyami Nyami. Vocalist Ulenni Okandlovu incorporates Ndebele chants to the laid-back production work of his partner Joshua Madalitso Chiundiza. As they explain in an interview with 15questions.net, "The both of us were in search of unique alternative Zimbabwean sound, having grown up listening to Mbaqanga, Mbube, Zamrock, Sungura, Jit, and Chimurenga. We wanted to create something that borrowed from these influences, but merging those styles with synth-wave, electro, and hip-hop elements."

Read the full story at KEXP.org

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Ana Lua Caiano - "Deixem O Morto Morrer" from the 2024 album Vou Ficar Neste Quadrado on Glitterbeat Records

Based out of Lisbon, Ana Lua Caiano combines traditional Portuguese music with modern electronica on her debut album Vou Ficar Neste Quadrado, out April 5th via Glitterbeat. Ana studied classical music for eight years, and then studied jazz for four years —  a pedigree that can be heard in her complex compositions. Today's Song of the Day examines a man's death, and in a Google-translated press statement, she states, "as the song progresses, sadness becomes joy and the tragedy of a death is seen in a more positive perspective. The song, despite having this strong and apparently sad theme, undergoes an inversion and is sung, from a certain point onwards, with enthusiasm, revealing itself to be an energetic, rhythmic and vibrant song.”

Read the full story at KEXP.org

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Championne - "Bilboquet" a 2024 self-released single

Vocalist/musician Mathilde Lejas has been active in the Rennes music scene for a while now, but has finally branched out on a solo project titled Championne. Her self-titled debut EP is a coldwave-tinged collection of dark dreampop, with Lejas's poetic lyrics spinning a web over it all. 

Read the full story at KEXP.org

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Flore Laurentienne - "Voiles" from the 2022 album Volume II on RVNG Intl.

Recording under the name Flore Laurentienne, composer, orchestrator, and musician Mathieu David Gagnon captures rich, romantic instrumentals, inspired by the wilderness in his hometown of Montreal, Québec. In fact, his latest album — titled Volume II — was inspired by Canada’s St. Lawrence River, with the instrumentation designed to "illustrate and illuminate the river’s flow."

Read the full story at KEXP.org

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mega cat - “Rat Fight” from the 2024 album mega cat on Share It Music

Sure, we've all been witness to a rat fight, but leave it to Seattle's own mega cat to capture the energy in today's Song of the Day. After co-founders Kim West (piano and synthesizer) and Ryan Devlin (bass and guitar) watched the melee in a neighbor's yard (the press release reveals "one rat picked the other up and threw him down with such force that the couple heard an audible thud"), the couple knew the song they'd been working on that afternoon with drummer Aaron Benson finally had its title. 

The cinematic single is accompanied by a music video featuring Molly Sides (of Thunderpussy), dancing in a boiler room. The clip perfectly captures the James Bond-esque quality of the dramatic, instrumental track. 

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Les Amazones d'Afrique - “Flaws” from the 2024 album Musow Danse on Real World Records

On today's Song of the Day, all-female African supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique — which translates to "The Amazons of Africa" — celebrate the so-called imperfections that make each of us unique.

“The song has a simple message,” Malian singer Mamani Keïta explained in a press release. “The perfect person does not exist. We all have our flaws and imperfections which we carry with us through life. But there is beauty in imperfection, and that’s what we want people to realise.”

The group worked with acclaimed producer Jacknife Lee (U2, Modest Mouse, Taylor Swift) on their third album Musow Danse, released last month via Real World Records.  “Jacknife Lee took time to listen to each of our voices,” says vocalist Fafa Ruffino, from Benin. “He doesn’t understand the language but you can tell that he feels the emotion, understands that our souls are deeply invested in our words. I feel like he entered our minds. What he did is more than musical. It is spiritual.”

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Nusantara Beat - “Kota Bandung” a 2023 single on Bongo Joe

Amsterdam-based sextet Nusantara Beat is comprised of members of EUT, Altın Gün, Jungle By Night, POM, and Surf Aid-Kit. Together, they celebrate Indonesian classics, like on today's Song of the Day, which is a cover of a traditional '70s single. Their interpretation of "Kota Bandung" brings a modern vibe to its garage-surf-rock style, with psychedelic guitars and Megan De Klerk's alluring vocals. 

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Francis of Delirium - “Blue Tuesday” from the 2024 album Lighthouse on Dalliance Records

Francis Of Delirium — a project of Luxembourg-based artist Jana Bahrich — is set to release their debut LP, Lighthouse, on March 22nd via Dalliance Recordings. 

“For this album, hope is the prevailing feeling I’m left with after making it and listening to it,” Bahrich said in a press statement. “The idea is that there is this light guiding you out into a space where you can be more open and accepting of love and joy. Even as you gain or lose love, it never really goes away; it just transforms itself, moving into other relationships with you.”

She says today's Song of the Day was "a chance to go back a little bit to our original sound, heavy guitars, uptempo, in-your-face music… We are a band that really loves to play live, sweaty, messy, and physical music, so it felt important to have this song be part of the album."

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Four Tet - “Loved” from the 2024 album Three on Text Records

Long-running electronic artist Four Tet — real name: Kieran Hebden — returns with his twelfth studio album, titled Three, which came out last Friday via his own label, Text Records.

Four Tet's previous LP was 2020's Parallel. Last year, he teamed up with Skrillex and Fred Again for a sold-out five-hour show at Madison Square Garden.

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Clinton Fearon - "LOL" from the 2024 album Survival Vibration on Kool Yu Foot / Boogie Brown Productions

Seattle's own reggae legend Clinton Fearon returns with his 14th full-length solo album on April 5th, titled Survival Vibration.

He declares today's Song of the Day as "one of my very favorites on the album," adding, "I love the simple ways of how it reminds us to take care of ourselves. For over 30 years I’ve been telling my friends and fans to do what they love and love what they do. Finally, it’s a song. On the musical side, I love what the thumb piano is doing: its tone and the parts it's playing do a lot for the song. And then from the moment the intro is done and the rhythm starts, I can’t help but want to dance."

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Summer Pearl - "feel right" from the 2023 album outmysystem on Kitto Records

London-based artist Summer Pearl taps into her Jamaican/Grenadian heritage on her debut mixtape, outmysystem, which was released late last year. Infusing reggae and dub influences into her neo-soul sound, her latest release features a guest appearance from reggae royalty Liam Bailey and production by the prolific broken beat pioneer, Kaidi Tatham.

"This project is a collection of songs, some of which I wrote almost eight years ago and some a lot more recent. These are songs that I needed to get out of my system in order for me to move on. To be able to move on and get over that relationship, romantic or platonic; to move on but not forget the loss of friends and family."

"I guess it’s somewhat of a release in order to get back to myself. This is the first project I’ve released in three years and I feel like it’s the most me. There are a few songs on love and having a good time, and then of course I’m a student of life and have to write what I see in this crazy world. outmysystem is allowing me to move on to the next chapter in my life and I’m excited to see what that looks like, feels like, and sounds like."

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GC OConnor - "Love on High" a 2023 single on Low Key Source

Australian artist GC OConnor makes a powerful introduction with her debut single "Love On High," capturing a jazzy alt-R&B sound that she describes as "stoner-soul." The single was produced by Sydney/Gadigal-based duo The Goods. 

In a press release, OConnor shares, “This track speaks to all the years of chasing the dance floor ‘love at first sight’ feeling. The brief elation of fleeting entanglements. And the lows of not actually caring about long lasting human connection. All I took to the studio was the guitar, the hook, and words on a page. The Goods brought the rest to life all in a single session, along with it being mastered by Dave Cooley.”

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Quantic - "Run (feat. Andreya Triana)" from the 2023 album Dancing While Falling on Play it Again Sam

For the past twenty years, DJ/producer/multi-instrumentalist Will Holland has crafted a unique blend of dance music under the name Quantic, mixing in funk, soul, bossa nova, cumbia, jazz, and more. The British-born New York-based artist calls his latest LP — titled Dancing While Falling — his most "grown up release to date."

Citing disco influences like Bohannon and Larry Levan, Holland explains, "’I'm really interested in Latin music and Afro Caribbean rhythms and I think there's a really amazing point in history where the emergence of those rhythms and its combination with American soul sparked what we now know as disco."

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Samory I - "Outside (feat. Lila Iké)" from the 2023 album Strength on Overstand Entertainment / Easy Star Records

Kingston, Jamaica-based artist Samory-Tour Frazer — who records as Samory I — celebrates his progeny on his debut solo album, Strength. 

"It represents the struggles I’ve overcome, both mentally and physically," the roots reggae vocalist says in a press release, "and is also a representation of my son, who is my driving force behind this album." (His baby boy is featured with his proud papa on the cover art of the new album.)

Today's Song of the Day features guest vocals from fellow Jamaican artist Lila Iké, who adds, “I have been waiting for this collaboration since 2016 when I moved to Kingston and my next-door neighbor was blasting unreleased songs from Samory I. The reverence in his voice captured me immediately, and I’ve been a fan since. I can’t wait for people to hear and feel the power in his sound. His new album will be a classic.” 

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PAPISA - "Dores no Varal" from the 2024 album Amor Delírio on Costa Futuro

PAPISA is Rita Oliva, a musician, singer, songwriter, and producer based in São Paulo, Brazil. She released her first EP in 2016 and has graced some of Brazil's main stages, as well as the SXSW festival in Austin, TX, where she´ll be back this 2024 edition of the El Sonido showcase. The release of the single "Melhor Assim" in 2023 and "Dores no Varal" in early 2024 heralds the arrival of her next album. She now collaborates with Tagua Tagua in refreshing her indie dreamy pop. In her words, “sometimes sounding acidic, sometimes sweet, but always Brazilian.”

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Mexican Institute of Sound - "Bolero" from the 2024 album Algo-Ritmo : Mexican Institute of Sound Hits 2004-2024 on Soy Sauce

Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS) commemorated its 20-year journey with the release of "Algo + Ritmo 2004-2024" on February 2nd. Featuring 23 handpicked tracks, including two new collaborations with Ceci Bastida and Foudeqush + Esteman, this album encapsulates Camilo Lara's eclectic musical career. Blending mariachi soul, sonideros' spirit, and bold electronic beats, Lara's music reflects the rich tapestry of Mexican culture. Since its inception in 2004, MIS has resonated deeply, evoking a Mexico of bygone eras and captivating audiences worldwide. With the recent release of "Stop" featuring Ceci Bastida, Lara continues to captivate audiences, cementing his legacy as a trailblazer in Latin American music.

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Jarina de Marco - "Boca Chica" from the 2023 album Caribbean All-Inclusive Luxury on 3rd Culture Kid.

This week’s Songs of the Day spotlight artists who DJ Albina Cabrera will visit during El Sonido on the Road, a 10-day journey visiting Santo Domingo; Dominican Republic, as part of the invitation to the Isle of Light music festival; followed by our annual showcase featuring six Latin American bands at SXSW in Austin, Texas; and finally, arriving in Mexico City for the 2024 edition of the Ibero-American music festival, Vive Latino, which is also a partner of Live on KEXP from Mexico.

Dominican-Brazilian pop artist Jarina de Marco makes deliriously infectious music. Beneath the shine and gloss of her immaculately crafted music is a poignant message. This has been true going back to songs like 2016’s “Release the Hounds” which sounds like stomp-clap club anthem but on a deeper level was drawing On her latest album, Caribbean All-Inclusive Luxury, she coopts the capitalist sheen of a “dream vacation” as a biting protest satire. “Boca Chica” opens the album sounding like an advertisement that draws many tourists to places like the Dominican Republic. Not just that but it feels luxurious with her pristine vocals and lively production. But a deeper listen reveals de Marco is singing from the perspective of locals, exasperated by the spectacle of it all. That the song can exist as both a poignant commentary and a dance floor anthem is a testament to de Marco’s incredible songwriting prowess. - Dusty Henry

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Pink Pablo - "falco" from the 2023 self-released road 2 neverland EP

This week’s Songs of the Day spotlight artists who DJ Albina Cabrera will visit during El Sonido on the Road, a 10-day journey visiting Santo Domingo; Dominican Republic, as part of the invitation to the Isle of Light music festival; followed by our annual showcase featuring six Latin American bands at SXSW in Austin, Texas; and finally, arriving in Mexico City for the 2024 edition of the Ibero-American music festival, Vive Latino, which is also a partner of Live on KEXP from Mexico.

Pink Pablo's EP, road 2 neverland, signals a refreshing shift in Puerto Rico's music landscape, where artists like him are redefining the boundaries of genre. His musical journey, from church performances to LA, mirrors the island's evolving music scene. The EP's eclectic mix of electropop, rock, reggaetón, and disco, coupled with Pink Pablo's vulnerable lyrics, creates a deeply emotional and cohesive listening experience. As he gains momentum and connects with his audience through live shows, Pink Pablo's authenticity and commitment to his craft are undeniable, solidifying his position as a rising star in the Latin music world.

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Caribe Acido - "La Carrera de Los Perros" from the 2024 self-released Ciudad Nueva EP

This week’s Songs of the Day spotlight artists who DJ Albina Cabrera will visit during El Sonido on the Road, a 10-day journey visiting Santo Domingo; Dominican Republic, as part of the invitation to the Isle of Light music festival; followed by our annual showcase featuring six Latin American bands at SXSW in Austin, Texas; and finally, arriving in Mexico City for the 2024 edition of the Ibero-American music festival, Vive Latino, which is also a partner of Live on KEXP from Mexico.

Caribe Ácido presents Ciudad Nueva, a four-track EP composed by Dominican multidisciplinary artist Ysmel Abreu. A 35-minute jazz-infused trance, delving into the Dominican scene's alternative and experimental sides. Produced by Adriano Sang, the well-known Diego Raposo, and Ysmel himself, the EP features Adriano on piano and bass, with Ysmel handling the electric and amplified trumpet along with percussion. Standout tracks like "La carrera de los perros" and "El Número" shine on this EP, which, according to the Dominican music website Discolai, also pays homage to Dominican history and culture, with nods to Luis Días and references to streets named after historical battles in the Ciudad Nueva neighborhood.

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Chrome Corps - "Body Attestation," a 2024 single on Eskimo Recordings

Seattle's own Chrome Corps brings an industrial edge to their dystopic EBM sound, especially on today's Song of the Day, which can be found on the Eskimo Recordings compilation Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX - Secret Cuts. The comp is a companion to last year's collection, Curses’ Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX, also curated by Berlin-based DJ Luca Venezia, AKA Curses.

As Curses states in a press release, "Curating Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX was a big puzzle, figuring out how to fit all these tracks across 6 different 12″s required a lot of calculations and, to be quite frank, I was never that great at maths. Unfortunately, this meant we had to cut some real heaters off of DEUX. But Eskimo and I decided that we couldn’t let these gems go to dust. I’ve been DJing them loads in my sets, so it was only fair to share them with y’all to DJ and rage to yourselves. So, here it is… the final blast of bonus tracks for Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX: Secret Cuts."

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Sugartin - "Breakdown" from the 2024 album Breakdown on exlove records

Synthpop duo Sugartin spin a dreamy web on today's Song of the Day, the title track off their latest three-song EP, released via exlove records.

Formed in Stuttgart, Germany by songwriters Iris and Daniel in 2022, the pair take inspiration from their Krautrock forefathers while infusing modern-day electronic influences. 

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Sol y Santi - "Have You Heard," from the 2024 album Sol y Santi on Casa/Teca

A project of producer Santiago Salazar and vocalist/lyricist Soltera, Sol y Santi released their self-titled LP last month via Casa/Teca.

"We started making this album right before the pandemic hit," Soltera states on Instagram. "Santi sent me a hundred songs that he had been archiving for years and I began to write lyrics for them. After completion we sat with the album for a while and it wasn’t until recently that we finally made the decision to release it independently thru @casaxteca and share it with the world."

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Ortrotasce - "Seeing Red," a 2023 self-released single

Ortrotasce (pronounced: or-tro-task) is the moniker for minimalist-synth artist Nic Hamersly, who has been crafting his unique brand of dramatic darkwave for over a decade.

As he told the Orlando Weekly last year, as a teenager, he fell in love with experimental punk label 31G Records and its founder's band, The Locust, before moving on to bands like Coil and Throbbing Gristle. "I was more so into the harsher realm of electronic music," he tells the Weekly. "Power electronics and dark ambient and so on." He notes that his later influences leaned in poppier directions. "Hard Corps, SPK — Machine Age Voodoo, specifically — Fad Gadget, to name a few," he adds. "The juxtaposition between synth-pop and industrial in these groups just do it for me. You can probably hear this in most of my recent output."

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The KVB - "Labyrinths," a 2024 single on Invada Records UK

Manchester coldwave duo The KVB share the lead single off their forthcoming full-length, Tremors, to be released April 5th via Invada Records. Band members Nicholas Wood and Kat Day describe today's Song of the Day as "the most aggressive track on the album and a nod to some of our early releases." They add, "Lyrically, it was inspired by the collection of short stories by Jorge Luis Borges and its references to historical subjectivity; the flexibility of truth and construction of narratives."

They describe the new album as "dystopian pop," noting that they've "expanded on previous album themes of dystopia, apocalypse, and the human condition, but with a more pessimistic outlook and deeper distrust than before. It also touches on themes of loss, and the resistance, lament and acceptance of inevitable change.”

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Day Soul Exquisite - "Mosaic" from the 2024 album Sanguine & Cardamom on La fem Records

Seattle-based, QTBIPOC-led sextet Day Soul Exquisite released their debut EP last month via La fem Records, an indie label founded by the band's vocalist/guitarist Francesca Eluhu. Today's Song of the Day is, indeed, a work of art, pieced together by Josh Pehrson's gentle percussion, Lillian Minke Tahar's hypnotic keyboard riff, and Seboulisa's soulful vocals, just to name a few of the elements that comprise this languid lullaby. 

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Salt Cathedral - "Terminal Woes" from the 2024 self-released album Before It’s Gone

With today's Song of the Day, New York-based Colombian duo Salt Cathedral share a sneak peek at their forthcoming full-length Before It’s Gone, to be self-released on March 22nd. In a press statement, the band share:

“”Terminal Woes” are the woes that will bring us (humanity) to our demise – in this song, climate change. How do I bring a child into a world that is getting, by all predictions, physically worse? How is capitalism/corporate interest & greed steering the wheel (or not steering the wheel?). We live in bubbles where we forget nature and animals exist too. Powerful people making decisions have their wallet, not the planet in mind. The only solution is reaching a point where the planet and the wallet align, where the most profitable business plan is to be sustainable. Sonically, it’s a march of sorts, a chorus that bursts into stacks of voices to show collectivism and a lot of inspiration from Ravi Shankar’s music.”

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Seven Davis Jr - "Soul Music" from the 2024 album Stranger Than Fiction on Secret Angels

Singer/songwriter Samuel Lonnelee Davis — known to us as Seven Davis Jr. — dug into the vault for today's Song of the Day. The track was originally recorded back in 2016 around the time of his LP Universes. As he explains on Bandcamp, "It was supposed to go on the next album but did not match the tracklist. It was released on an underground EP but never officially. Detroit's Kyle Hall began playing this track out in 2022 which led to us deciding to officially release it."

The soulful (no pun intended) single can now be found on new album Stranger Than Fiction, which came out last month via his own Secret Angels imprint. "I wanted to make a tribute album reflecting all the music that has played a huge role in forming who I am as an artist and as a person," he writes. "Each track showcasing a different audio aesthetic but connecting to the next like scenes in a film, creating my own world."

"This project is for others like me who fit into multiple categories and none at the same time," he concludes. "While bringing it back to an old school-ish energy, simply about humble songs, good vibes and fun beats."

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Art Feynman - "Chasing My Life" from the 2023 album Be Good The Crazy Boys on Western Vinyl

Long-time KEXP fave Luke Temple has been recording under the alias Art Feynman for a few albums now; his press release says, as a way to "explore surprising sonic landscapes without the burdens of identity." And now, on his third LP under the pseudonym, Be Good The Crazy Boys, he's joined by a full band, and the release was recorded live in the studio. "Sonically, I was inspired by records that were recorded at the late Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas such as Grace Jones’ Private Life, Lizzy Mercier Descloux’s Mambo Nassau, and Talking Heads’ Remain in Light,” he shares. 

He adds, “To me, there was a lot of energy that needed to be released as the result of living in isolation for six years. It also seems to speak to a general anxiety we’re all holding, but it’s expressed in a cathartic way.”

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Butcher Brown - "Down With the King" a 2024 single on Concord Jazz

For today's Song of the Day, Virginia-based jazz/hip-hop collective Butcher Brown brings their take on the 1993 Run DMC classic “Down With the King.” The track was created in collaboration with the ACC Network, ESPN’s 24/7 national network dedicated to Atlantic Coast Conference sports, and the song can be heard in promotional spots that kicked off last month. 

“Virginia music is one-of-a-kind, and always has been, just like the ACC,” said Butcher Brown’s lyricist and horn player Marcus Tennishu in a press release. “The Richmond aesthetic comes from a place where everyone is really diehard and blue collar — you work for what you get. We wanted this remake to be derivative of the original, but we had to put our own twist on it.”

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Lesser Angels - "Burn it Away," a 2024 self-released single

Lesser Angels is a goth/darkwave project out of Eugene, OR, that brings dreamy musical vibes from a trans-feminine perspective. Today's Song of the Day examines the duality of life, as they explain on Bandcamp:

"'Burn It Away' is a song meant to evoke the meditative concept of fire as a type of rebirth and the cycle of positive and negative experiences in life. A beautiful day can't last forever or it wouldn't be beautiful, just like how a terrible day seems more terrible in contrast to better days. No light without shadow."

"We go through these things in life like a rosebush. In that moment the thorns get caught on our blue jeans but on the outside we get to look back and see the beauty of it. And we must singe the frayed edges of our jeans so that we can keep going and stay unfettered."

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TISIPHONE - "The Sound of His Voice," a 2024 single on Icy Cold Records

French coldwave trio Tisiphone returned this month with their sophomore LP Riot Puppets. 

Band members Léo and Suzanne met as music students at the Conservatoire de Lyon, with Clara later meeting Léo in the drumming program. In an interview with Threshold Magazine, Clara explains, "We love rock, jazz, classical, but is true that we wanted to make this band around this coldwave thing, post-punk. It was also an aesthetic style that we loved."

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Zanias - "Earthborn" from the 2024 album Ecdysis on Metropolis Records

Today's featured track comes from a KEXP Song of the Day veteran, the Berlin-based project Zanias, led by Australian-born multidisciplinary artist Alison Lewis.

"Earthborn" is the first single off her forthcoming full-length Ecdysis, out this Friday, February 16th. The album was created around the same time as 2023's LP Chrysalis, but Lewis points out on Instagram that these tracks have a "far more alien quality to them." She continues, "This one’s a serious healing venture, a spiritual exercise, a deep dive into all those things we feel and have no words for (hence, there are no words)."

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Glaring - "Burn the Snow" from the 2024 self-released EP DR666

Over the past few years. Germany-based coldwave artist Anna Nin has been recording her melancholy medleys under the name Glaring. Her latest EP — the self-released DR666 — reflects the cold winter month of January in which it was released: chilly synths, glacial pacing, and a vapor-breath vocal delivery. 

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Anja Huwe - "Rabenschwarz" a 2024 single on Sacred Bones

As the frontwoman for German post-punk band Xmal Deutschland, vocalist Anja Huwe was at the forefront of the 4AD avant-garde art-rock scene in the 1980s. When the band broke up in 1989, Huwe left music to pursue her visual art career. 

But now, nearly 30 years later, Huwe re-emerges with her debut solo album, Codes, scheduled for release on March 8th via Sacred Bones Records. Huwe's long-time friend Mona Mur managed to coax her back into the recording studio, and over the span of eighteen months, they crafted a collection of dark, dramatic soundscapes for Huwe to wrap her distinctive vocals around.

“Since I sing multilingually, and often work with metaphors, I hope that the listener can grasp the moods without understanding them literally," Huwe shared in a press statement. "I believe that voice, expression, and sound can achieve an overall atmosphere. Sometimes melancholic and blue, but also uplifting, vibrant, or subliminally aggressive."

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Polyrhythmics - "Clydesdale" from the 2023 self-released album Filter System

Now on their 13th year as a band, Seattle's own psych-funk septet Polyrhythmics released their latest LP last fall titled Filter System.   

“When I listen to this music I feel comforted and excited at the same time,” saxophonist Art Brown said of the album in a press statement. “I really feel like we've created some beautiful musical spaces that can transport you. And in that way I think it can provide a source of inspiration, and maybe revitalize the hearts and minds of folks who listen.”

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Nation of Language - Spare Me the Decision (Cutouts Remix) a 2024 single on PIAS

Brooklyn trio Nation of Language revisit last year's single "Spare Me the Decision" with a remix by their bassist Alex MacKay, who also records under the name Cutouts. The original version of the track appears on the album Strange Disciple, which was voted the #2 album of the year by KEXP listeners. 

“I knew pretty instantly “Spare Me the Decision” was the track I’d have the most fun trying to remix from Strange Disciple as it’s a personal favorite," MacKay shared in a press statement. "However, my time management isn’t always the best so while I thought I’d have turned it in before we started touring last year, I ended up finishing the master in the lobby of our Barcelona hotel, just a few hours before our set at Primavera Festival. As a result, to me that day represents a beautiful duality, wearing two very different hats from the afternoon into the evening. In the daylight a focused (albeit jet-lagged) moment of solitude and creation. After sunset, an evening onstage performing in front of a jubilant congregation of Spanish fans, far more frenzied than I could have ever imagined when I woke up that morning."

He continued, "As far as the song itself: I love the drum tracks Ian and Nick came up with, especially the slinky hi-hat pattern… and Ian is a true singer, so it’s an absolute joy working with his vocals. I preserved those parts but had a go at replacing almost everything else. I thought it’d be fun to stretch the length, and try different chords under the chorus melody every time it comes around. I also slowed it down a couple BPM. I like seeing how slow I can make songs without losing the groove. Sometimes there’s a second pocket in there, a little slower than you might expect…”

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Gustaf - "Starting and Staring" from the 2024 album Package Pt. 2 on Royal Mountain

Brooklyn-based no-wave band Gustaf share the lead single from their upcoming sophomore full-length Package Pt. 2, out April 5th via Royal Mountain. The new album was produced by Erin Tonkon, who worked on David Bowie’s final album Blackstar.

With its driving bass and anxiety-ridden performance from vocalist Lydia Gammill, it's easy to see why this group is a tour mate of bands like IDLES, Sleaford Mods, and Yard Act. Check out the video below, directed by Alex Ross Perry. 

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Ride - "Peace Sign" from the 2024 album Interplay on Wichita

Shoegaze pioneers Ride return with the album Interplay, out March 29th on Wichita Recordings/PIAS. It'll be their seventh full-length overall, and their third since reuniting in 2014. 

“This album has taken a long time to make, and has seen the band go through a lot of ups and downs; maybe the most of any Ride album,” co-founder Andy Bell said in a press release. “But it has seen us come through the process as a band in a good place, feeling able to shake off the past, and ready to celebrate the combined musical talents that brought us together in the first place.”

Today's Song of the Day first began to come together during a jam session in band member Mark Gardener's recording studio, OX4 studio. "We called it ‘Berlin’ and initially it featured Loz on drums, Steve on bass, and myself on a prophet 5 synth," Bell continued. "About six months later I got hold of the recording and wrestled it into song form. Lyrically I was inspired by a film called The Alpinist about the visionary free climber Marc-André Leclerc. Soon after I’d finished working on the song I remember I was raving to my bandmates about Leclerc at OX4, and a good memory of that time was us all watching that film at Mark’s studio."

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TR/ST - "Robrash" a 2023 single on Dais

TR/ST — a project of producer Robert Alfons — shares the first single from his latest release, a self-titled EP from his new label, Dais Records. Formed in Toronto, and now based in Los Angeles, he continues to craft darkwave synth perfect for haunting the dance floor. 

Today's Song of the Day was co-produced by Nightfeelings and mixed by the legendary Nick Launay, who has worked with everyone from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds to IDLES to Kate Bush. 

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Brittany Davis - "Sepricon" from the 2024 album Image Issues on Loosegroove Records

Last we spoke with Seattle artist Brittany Davis, they had released an EP via Loosegroove Records, the label ran by Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard (who is also Davis's bandmate in the side project, Painted Shield). Now, they've returned with their debut full-length album, titled Image Issues, out March 1st on Loosegroove. It's an ambitious 26-track, concept-driven release, interspersed with spoken word pieces by Davis, and with deeply personal lyrics touching on their "discrimination as a Black, non-binary, blind musician, to traumatic family experiences touching on abuse, gun violence, and the prison system." The LP was co-produced by Josh Evans (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Brandi Carlile), with Gossard's full support. (“He is everywhere in spirit and conception and love and vision,” Evans told Spin Magazine.)

Davis describes today's Song of the Day as "definitely born to funk...to soul funk! The record is an ode to James Brown and filled with thoughtless greatness...there really is no rhyme or reason to it...all primal instinct." Check out the music video below, directed by Tony-nominated modern dance choreographer Donald Byrd (The Color Purple, The Minstrel Show). 

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Izzy and the Black Trees - "F-16" a 2024 single on Antena Krzyku.

Polish punk rockers Izzy and The Black Trees tap into some COVID anxiety for today's Song of the Day.

As vocalist Izabela “Izzy” Rekowska explains to music blog Vanadian Avenue: "Back then, I was watching many movies and Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb really got stuck in my head. Plus, there was a constant hum of jet planes flying over our apartment. So, you get the story. The song was recorded with our producer Marcin Bors at his home studio in the mountains. Marcin also produced our second album Revolution Comes In Waves. We really loved working on that album as well as on 'F-16' and our previous single, 'Shutdown City.'"

The band are currently working on a new EP with their sights set on a third full-length in the future.

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Waxahatchee - "Right Back To It (feat. MJ Lenderman)" from the 2024 album Tigers Blood on ANTI-

On today's Song of the Day, singer/songwriter Katie Crutchfield — best known as Waxahatchee — enlists the talents of MJ Lenderman (of the band Wednesday, as well as a solo artist) for an unconventional love song.

“I wrote it backstage at Wolf Trap when I was on tour opening for Jason Isbell and Sheryl Crow,” Crutchfield says in a press statement. “I’m really interested in writing love songs that are gritty and unromantic. I wanted to make a song about the ebb and flow of a longtime love story. I thought it might feel untraditional, but a little more in alignment with my experience to write about feeling insecure or foiled in some way internally, but always finding your way back to a newness or an intimacy with the same person.”

The track will appear on her forthcoming full-length, Tigers Blood, out March 22nd via Anti-. The LP was recorded with Brad Cook at Sonic Ranch in Texas, and features guest appearances from Spencer Tweedy and Phil Cook, in addition to Lenderman.

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SPRINTS - "Adore Adore Adore" from the 2024 album Letter To Self on City Slang

Dublin, Ireland-based garage rockers Sprints rage against the patriarchy on today's Song of the Day, as vocalist Karla Chubb explains on Bandcamp:

“'Adore Adore Adore' is a guttural reaction to my experience of criticism, gender, and misogyny. People can't seem to stop pressing their idea of what being a woman or acting like a woman is or should be upon us. You can't act like this, you can't say that, you have to be born with this or that and it's exhausting.

There is still a different standard of behaviour expected from me vs even the other members in Sprints. There is a different set of invisible rules I am supposed to abide by — I am supposed to fit their mould and give them what they want — and not deliver what it is I am here to do.

So at a time when trans rights are under attack, people are trying to force upon us what they think a woman is or should be, this is the outward expression of my own frustration, struggle and rage.”

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Arcwelder - "Lafayette" from the 2024 self-released album Continue

Minneapolis trio Arcwelder return with their first new album in 24 years. During their '90s heyday, they released six albums on Touch & Go and Big Money Records before their double-decade hiatus. Their latest LP was mixed by J. Robbins of Jawbox, Burning Airlines, and Government Issue.

And it's all too appropriate that "Lafayette" is today's Song of the Day, as the band say the track is drummer/vocalist Scott  Macdonald's tribute to "music, radio stations, and the childhood radio that delivered it all to him." Check out Morning Show Producer Owen Murphy's 2017 chat with Scott here.

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Spoon Benders - "Dichotomatic" from the 2023 self-released album How Things Repeat

With their sophomore full-length, How Things Repeat, psych-rock group Spoon Benders continue to elevate the glam-garage sound we first fell in love with on their 2020 debut LP Dura Mater.

As they explained to Be in a Band or Die, "Since April of 2019, the band has been writing, rehearsing, and performing live together multiple times a week. I think How Things Repeat has captured that growth and is an excellent representation of our evolution together as a band and individually as players and songwriters. For How Things Repeat we are building on our sound and looking to express similar energy through the recording as we do on stage in the live setting."

The accompanying music video — directed by Karlee Boon — aims to capture the opposite: the monotony they experience in their day jobs. "People often forget that musicians work grueling 9-5 jobs to survive while balancing their band and personal lives," they added.

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Skating Polly - "Hickey King" from the 2023 album Chaos County Line on El Camino Media

Tacoma-based punk-pop trio Skating Polly describes today's Song of the Day as "the most Skating Polly song" on their latest LP, a double-album titled Chaos County Line, out now via El Camino Media. Songwriters (and step-sisters!) Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse trade off vocals on the stripped-down single, inspired by a bad date Kelli went on.

“In Peyton’s verse she’s talking about never knowing how far to go or how much of yourself to give to someone, and when my part comes crashing in it’s about guys being possessive and always trying to leave their mark on you,” Kelli says in a press release. “To me, it’s the most Skating Polly song on the record because it’s all these different energies happening at once.”

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Hurry - "Beggin' For You" from the 2023 album Don't Look Back on Lame-O Records

Philadelphia-based group Hurry released their sixth album last year, titled Don’t Look Back, a nod to a 1995 Teenage Fanclub song, if that gives you a hint to their influences. And today's Song of the Day brings that same jangly, power-pop goodness. 

The new album was produced by Ian Farmer (of Slaughter Beach, Dog, and Modern Baseball), and is out now via Lame-O Records. 

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Matt Pond PA - "Imagining Everything" from the 2024 album Call and Response on 131 Records

Today's Song of the Day marks a homecoming for singer/songwriter Matt Pond who launched his career in 1998 as matt pond PA, but tried to ditch the name the past few years, releasing an album under the moniker The Natural Lines in 2022. But now, he's re-embraced his original band name with the release of this new single.

"Our album as The Natural Lines was one of my favorite experiences in making music,” Matt told Brooklyn Vegan last year. “We thoughtfully built songs and a band that represented the inner world of the post-pandemic return to reality. But as it stands now, I’ve said everything I can in that incarnation. I gave myself a strange band name back in Philly and it’s been impossible to shake. As much as I love to run, there’s no running from who I am.”

“In the song and video for ‘Imagining Everything,'” he adds, “I can hear the worst thoughts about myself — about all of us. Nevertheless, I want to find a way back to loving this world.”

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Bayonne - "Right Thing" from the 2023 album Temporary Time on Nettwerk

Today's Song of the Day from Bayonne (a solo project from Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter Roger Sellers) is extra potent, not just for being a total new wave nostalgic groove, but because it was the last song Roger was able to play for his father before he passed away from cancer. 

“Approaching my mid 30s, I was having a lot of anxiety about life, music and the future – contemplating where I wanted to go creatively, which among other things, caused me to fall into a state of depression. It’s a deeply meaningful song to me, conveying feelings of stagnancy and self-doubt while maintaining a poppy format,” he says in a press statement. “One of the reasons it’s so meaningful to me is because it was the last song I remember showing my Dad before he passed. In the middle percussive section, I added samples from old home VHS tapes, wherein you can faintly hear him and other family members chattering lightly in the background. I’ll never forget showing him how I implemented these old recordings into the song. He was highly amused by this.”

The track appears on Bayonne's third full-length Temporary Time. He adds, "To me the overall narrative of Temporary Time is the events following my Dad’s cancer diagnosis in early 2019. The record explores the emotional journey we went through as a family coming to terms with his declining health. Not every song covers this, but that presentiment is lingering in the back of my mind through it all.”

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Ghoul Talk - I Just Like To Watch from the 2024 album I Want to Consume on Death Certificate Records

Seattle's Ghoul Talk — a solo project of local artist Rachel King — brings an exhilarating ferociousness to today's Song of the Day, a track she declares her "favorite and most polarizing song so far." She describes the single as "a two-and-a-half minute relationship horror story about ignoring your intuition, written in a 100+ degree room."

She tells KEXP, “I re-recorded the vocals many times, and nothing stuck until I was able to get out of my head and lock into the true emotion of the song. I wanted the recording to capture the messiness and desperation of the feeling beneath it all. Towards the end of recording, I found mice in my studio and finished some of the takes standing on a chair. There was something very punk about having them as an audience.”

"I Just Like To Watch" will appear on Ghoul Talk's forthcoming visual horror album I Want to Consume, to be released later this year on Death Certificate Records.

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IDLES - "Dancer (feat. James Murphy & Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem)" from the 2024 album TANGK on Partisan Records

Today's Song of the Day teams up two powerhouse KEXP faves: UK band IDLES and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and Nancy Whang. It's the first single from IDLES' forthcoming fifth full-length, Tangk, due for release on February 16th via Partisan Records. IDLES frontman Joe Talbot says the new album will be full of enchantment. "I needed love. So I made it," he says in a press release. "I gave love out to the world and it feels like magic. This is our album of gratitude and power. All love songs. All is love."

This cross-Atlantic collaboration came to be following some shows the two bands played together. As Talbot told NME, "If you don’t ask, you don’t get. By that point we’d been touring with them for a few weeks and knew they were lovely human beings. They took time out of their day off and took us to their studio. They were really accommodating and lovely, so hard-working, patient and awesome. They’re sick.”

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Stepan i Meduza - "О​с​е​н​ьs," a 2018 self-released single

Ukrainian duo Stepan i Meduza evoke the spirit of early Depeche Mode on this captivating synthwave track. Kiev-based musicians Burkov Aleksandr (vocals, guitar, synth, programming, mixing) and Mashkin Dmitry (bass guitar, vocals, synth, programming) have been releasing music together for over a decade, starting with their 2012 debut LP Bludnitsa. 

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Dharmacide - "Horses/Divorces" a 2023 self-released single

Hailing from Madrid, Spain, shoegaze quintet Dharmacide thrilled with their dreamy debut LP, Cult Band Member, in 2021. 

With today's Song of the Day, they achieve one of the ultimate shoegaze honors of working with Mark Gardener of genre-icons Ride, who mixed, mastered, and produced the track from his OX4 Studios. 

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Bien et Toi - "Haiku" from the 2023 Voici EP on Temple Records

L.A.-based producer Gianluca Buccellati has been racking up accolades, especially for his work on the 2021 Arlo Parks album Collapsed in Sunbeams. He crafts just as much beauty on his own music, which he records under the name Bien et Toi. 

With its warm, sunny vibes, his latest EP — the six-song release Voici — is the perfect antidote to grey winter weather. "This collection of songs was created when I was in a completely carefree state of flow,” Buccellati said in a press statement. “After my last EP [2022's London Safari], I wanted to create a body of work that had less features and felt more personal. This EP is for people to let loose to, a soundtrack for pool parties or warmer nights." 

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Bella Cuts - “Until Everybody Is Free” from the 2023 album Rise Up: BDS Mixtape Vol. 2 on Amplify Palestine

“The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free”
— Dr. Maya Angelou

Berlin-based artist Bella Cuts originally wrote today's Song of the Day as an anthem for the Internationalist Queer Pride Berlin. It has since gone on to become the theme song for The Solidarity Index, a podcast "exploring cultural power for collective liberation." The track was built around a vocal sample taken from an interview with Dr. Maya Angelou, and as such, Bella Cuts is donating all proceeds from the track to the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation. 

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Bosq & Kaleta - “No Walls" from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

Long-time collaborators Bosq & Kaleta team up again for an Afrobeat-inspired disco funk groove. 

Born Benjamin Woods in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Bosq is now based in Colombia where he has dominated dance floors with his blends of Afro-Latin music with Disco, Funk, Reggae, House, and Hip Hop.

Singer/songwriter/producer/musician Leon “Kaleta” Ligan-Majekodunmi was born in Porto Novo, Benin, and was active in the Lagos, Nigeria music scene in the '70s. 

On today's Song of the Day, they convey the message, "TEAR DOWN THE WALLS." As Bosq writes on Instagram, "In Gaza & the West Bank but also all over the world. The vocals in the beginning are spoken in Zulu, a South African language. The South African people also long suffered under a racist apartheid regime that was supported until the very end by Israel and the US. She says 'open the gates here comes the elephant, open the road here comes the elephant.' Palestine will be free."

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Baraari - "Habal (feat. Jurum) (prod. Julmud),” a 2023 self-released single

Based in Ramallah, Palestine, MC/singer Baraari blends Arabic melodies with hip-hop in today's Song of the Day. 

When not recording her own music, she's also active in pre-production of different audio/visual projects with artists Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abu Rahme, and organizes events and private parties in Palestine. 

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Bint il Sham - "Ishtar” from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

A relatively new singer/songwriter, Bint il Sham says her music is "driven by translating the journey of being a Palestinian refugee between Amman and Damascus." Her songs mix minimal electronica with poetry and sociopolitical messages related to her own experiences. 

Today's Song of the Day is the title track from her 2023 EP, inspired by the book Lugz Ashtar (or The Mystery of Ishtar) by author Firas Al-Sawwah. 

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El Waili - “TGLY” from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

Egyptian artist El Waili — a project of rapper/producer Kareem Gaber — takes his name from a neighborhood where he once lived in Cairo. 

"I started to produce music that translates my sonic experience while living in the El Waili neighbourhood," he told Egypt Today. "I wanted to deconstruct the urban noises and present a perspective and a feeling with a distinctive music style and drops."

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Hak Baker - "DOOLALLY" from the 2023 album Worlds End FM on Hak Attack Records / AWAL

Hak Baker has penned a party anthem with today's Song of the Day. (It even garnered him a collaboration with spiced rum brand Sailor Jerry, who released a limited edition "DOOLALLY" bottle back in the summer.) The East London-based artist was born to a Grenadan father and a Jamaican mother, and combines his love of reggae and punk into his lauded debut LP Worlds End FM. 

“We thought we was big, big boys, going to MC at these little clubs in Romford. Don’t forget that Moet cost 30 quid back then so we were having it large,” Baker says in a press release. “Everybody loves a house party. You’re talking to the house party king here. These are all the shenanigans rolled into 3.5 minutes, or all the ones I can talk about anyway — DOOLALLY!!”

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Aphex Twin - "Blackbox Life Recorder 21f" from the 2023 EP Blackbox Life Recorder 21f on Warp

Today’s Song of the Day marks the first new music from electronic music icon Aphex Twin (aka Richard D. James) in five years. (And it's been nearly ten years since his last album, 2014's Syro.) 

His latest EP — titled Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / In a Room7 F760 — is a percussive-heavy delight. with a surprising synth-laden sensitivity. His signature glitchiness is ever-present, but the song also reflects his evolution towards more mellow moments. 

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Afrosideral - "Aggayu El Immenso" a 2023 single on Ocha Records

Under the moniker Afrosideral, multi-instrumentalist/producer/songwriter Kumar Sublevao-Beat explores the mystical side of his culture. 

On today's Song of the Day, in particular, he pays tribute to the Aggayú Orisha, which is said to be "an esteemed Yoruba deity of wilderness and change," most associated with powerful flowing forces like volcanic lava and raging rivers. (An "Orisha" is a divine spirit that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa.)

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Troy Kingi - "All Your Ships Have Sailed" from the 2020 album The Ghost of Freddie Cesar on All Good Absolute Alternative Records

When he began his career, New Zealand-based actor/musician Troy Kingi set a goal to release 10 albums in 10 genres across 10 years, which he calls the "10/10/10 project."

Today's Song of the Day comes from his funk-inspired album, which is also his most personal album: it was inspired by a cassette tape owned by his father, who tragically disappeared around Christmas 2005, while driving between Rotorua and Auckland. 

As he explained to Music 101, “It looked pretty old and had this hand-scribbled name, ‘Freddie Cesar’ on it, and on the back was just handwritten names of songs. I recognized some of the songs from my early childhood back when my parents were still together and started writing down the lyrics as a form of therapy." A search for Freddie Cesar turned up fruitless, so Kingi began to recreate the songs himself. "It’s kind of a dedication to my dad and Freddie Cesar, this album. Even though the lyrics aren't fully mine and the music’s not fully mine, I feel him when I’m singing these songs."

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Lord Echo - "Whoa! There's No Limit (feat. Mara TK)(Alternate version)" from the 2023 album Rarities 2010-2020: Japanese Tour Singles on Soundway Records.

New Zealand-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Lord Echo (aka Mike Fabs) digs into the vault for a new compilation from London's Soundway Records, titled Rarities 2010 - 2020: Japanese Tour Singles. The title really does say it all: the eight-track LP shares digital versions of what were vinyl-only singles released only in Japan, at the time. (There's also a vinyl version available with an embossed Japanese printed sleeve and obi strip.)

Today's Song of the Day revisits a 2017 track from his third album, Harmonies, featuring guest vocals from Maori-Scottish artist Mara TK. This alternate version features "influences of soul and early hip-hop amen breaks," as he shares on Bandcamp.

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Freekind. - "Visualize" from the 2023 album Since Always and Forever on Butter92

Croatian duo Freekind. combines the talents of pianist and vocalist Sara Ester Gredelj and drummer Nina Korošak-Serčič. On their debut LP, Since Always And Forever, they craft a soulful sound with nods to pop, hip-hop, and jazz. Today's Song of the Day, in particular, brings a peaceful groove they say is meant to inspire.

As they write on their website, "We were at a period in our lives where we had the possibility to take time for ourselves and formed a nice routine where we got up, meditated, did yoga and spent the rest of our day with a sense of ease. Eventually our schedule started filling, the media was full with news of restriction, fearful threats, the people being polarised and anxious and that sense of ease started fading. So all that naturally brought to a thought – I just wanna live my life in peace. In a stress-inducing fast paced world filled with a lot of music, art and series with dystopian-like depictions of the world we wanted to create our vision of life. A peaceful one. In order for it to ever come to fruition we need to – Visualize."

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Bulgarian Cartrader - "Golden Rope" from the 2022 self-released album Motor Songs.

Berlin-based musician Daniel Stoyanov pays tribute to both his birthplace and his love of cars with his musical project, Bulgarian Cartrader. 

"My name sounds Eastern European, and to be precise I was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and came to Germany when I was 4. I grew up in Germany, but stayed connected to Bulgaria, kept the language, and mingled a lot with friends and family," he explained to Exberliner.com. As for the second part of the name, he adds, "If you look at me, you would never think cartrader, but it’s inside of me." (His debut album is even titled Motor Songs.)

Today's Song of the Day is a warm, laid-back groove, that he describes as "not a song that runs behind to grab your attention. It just stays there, it’s slick and mellow. I have energetic songs, and sometimes I need those, but I know that when I hit the mellow strings on the guitar, these songs are more powerful."

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Pearly Drops - "I Cry While You Sleep (Dream, Ivory version)" from the 2023 EP Haunted Expansion Pack on Cascine

Helsinki-based duo Pearly Drops pull '80s influences through their prismatic synthpop sound. Their latest EP — titled Haunted Expansion Pack — features special remixes of tracks off their sophomore LP, A Little Disaster, which came out earlier this year. 

Today's Song of the Day is a remix of "I Cry While You Sleep," reinvented by Dream, Ivory, a production team of siblings Louie and Christian Baello. Pearly Drops explain to Glam Cult, the track had very different beginnings. 

"This song has actually had a quite long journey. It was originally written for a completely different artist and it was probably even before our debut album. But a few years later we realised that it could actually be our own little ballad and we just had to request it back, hah. It was our attempt to make something warm, wood-y and modern with instruments from the '60s and the '80s. That’s been our favourite palette for some time now."

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Berry Galazka - Leash from the 2023 Leash EP on Climax Records & Sweat Entertainment

Each artist we're featuring this week is a Music Moves Europe Awards nominee. The MME Awards are the EU-funded prize for emerging artists. There are 15 nominees for these prestigious awards and the winners will be announced Thursday, January 18 at the ESNS festival in Groningen, NL.

Listeners/viewers can vote for their favorite artist for the MME Public Choice Award here.

Born in Poland, raised in Florida, and now living in London — Berry Galazka brings a wealth of worldly influences to her music, from My Chemical Romance to polka to Denzel Curry. She reflects her Polish heritage in her clothing, wearing a babushka scarf and the country's flag colors of red and white. 

On Facebook, she shares that today's Song of the Day is "largely inspired by my family’s virtue of questioning everything." She also notes to Polyester Zine that the new EP is inspired by the Salvador Dali painting Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening. "I still find so many different meanings within this painting,” she told The Line of Best Fit. "It always stuck with me how he visualized the sensation of being ripped out of a dream as the subconscious mind protects Gala from the bee sting."

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Ana Lua Caiano - "Mão na Mão" from the 2023 self-released album Se Dançar É Só Depois

Portuguese multi-disciplinary artist Ana Lua Caiano studied classical music for eight years, and then studied jazz for four years at the prestigious Escola De Jazz Luiz Villas-Boas, the oldest jazz club in Europe. In 2017, she joined the acoustic ensemble Os Vertigem, but when the pandemic hit and she couldn't play music with others anymore, she decided to embark on a solo endeavor. 

Caiano combines traditional Portuguese music with modern electronic sounds, using a synthesizer and a loop station in her live performances. Her second EP, Se Dan​ç​ar É Só Depois, was released earlier this year. 

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Panthervision - "Wish You Were Here (Baby it's Christmas)" a 2023 single on Fetish Pop

This week, we are continuing a long-held tradition of featuring Christmas-themed Songs of the Day, selected by Brian Foss, one of the hosts of KEXP’s punk show Sonic Reducer. He will be hosting his 20th annual Punk Rock Xmess on Saturday, December 23rd from 9 PM to midnight PT, and then tune in on Monday, December 25th from 7 AM - 4 PM PT, for No Standards Christmas. You won't hear a single "holiday standard," but instead get a mix of soul, rock, blues, hip-hop, and more!

Portland power-pop quartet Panthervision first formed in 2019, but its members have been active in the local music scene for fifteen years, playing in bands like Beyond Veronica, Spiral Electric, and Spy Device. Their concept with the new project was "The Muffs meets Sweet, but The Yardbirds are in there somewhere, and some pre-'Walk Like An Egyptian' Bangles … and most of all, their own style and enthusiasm."

It's a goal they achieve on their debut album, Now In 3​-​D, released back in January 2023, and on today's Song of the Day, a rollicking holiday track. 

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Problem Patterns - "Christmas Number One" a 2020 self-released single

This week, we are continuing a long-held tradition of featuring Christmas-themed Songs of the Day, selected by Brian Foss, one of the hosts of KEXP’s punk show Sonic Reducer. He will be hosting his 20th annual Punk Rock Xmess on Saturday, December 23rd from 9 PM to midnight PT, and then tune in on Monday, December 25th from 7 AM - 4 PM PT, for No Standards Christmas. You won't hear a single "holiday standard," but instead get a mix of soul, rock, blues, hip-hop, and more!

Problem Patterns — self-described as Belfast's pre-eminent DIY feminist queerpunk quartet — released their highly-anticipated debut album back in October, titled Blouse Club. But today's Song of the Day takes us back to 2020, when they released this single during a tumultuous season. As they wrote at the time:

This year, many of us will be spending Christmas alone for the first time ever, and for a few of us, that is the norm. The holiday season can be an incredibly isolating time in general. We wrote this song in an effort to try and look on the bright side of an otherwise tough situation. For the video, we wanted to collaborate and connect with a few friendly faces. We may not be able to be together right now, but stay hopeful. 

Whatever your plans are, we hope that you are safe and sound.
Sending love to anyone who needs it.
Merry Christmas,
Bev, Beth, Ciara and Alanah 
xxxx

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Ricardo Autobahn - "Christmas Isn't Halloween," a 2020 single on Banoffee Sound

Today's Song of the Day isn't Ricardo Autobahn's first Christmas hit, not by a long shot. Under his birth name of John Matthews, he had a smash single with his band Cuban Boys in 1999, with the track "Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" reaching #4 on the UK charts on Christmas week, and topping the infamous John Peel's Festive Fifty that year. 

You may also recognize Autobahn's talents in the projects Barndance Boys and Spray, or in his collaborations with Daz Sampson as Rikki & Daz. 

Today's featured track takes us back to his 2020 Banoffee Sound Singles Club release. Stay tuned for new music from Autobahn in January, including, what he calls, "assorted variations including the hyper hyper Helen Love remix."

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Longboat - "Christmas Socking" from the 2018 self-released album Come and Get Your Christmas

This week, we are continuing a long-held tradition of featuring Christmas-themed Songs of the Day, selected by Brian Foss, one of the hosts of KEXP’s punk show Sonic Reducer. He will be hosting his 20th annual Punk Rock Xmess on Saturday, December 23rd from 9 PM to midnight PT, and then tune in on Monday, December 25th from 7 AM - 4 PM PT, for No Standards Christmas. You won't hear a single "holiday standard," but instead get a mix of soul, rock, blues, hip-hop, and more!

Self-proclaimed "Seattle's least favorite band" Longboat have been releasing music for over a decade now, with three new albums this year alone, and, as they write on their website, "just as many to be released in 2024. Just try and stop us. You can’t. So don’t try, OK?"

A project of Belltown-based musician Igor Keller, Longboat released an entire Christmas album back in 2018 titled Come and Get Your Christmas. So, if you like this track, check out 11 more here.

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SQUISH! - "SNIFF MY PISS FOR CHRISTMAS," a 2023 self-released single

This week, we are continuing a long-held tradition of featuring Christmas-themed Songs of the Day, selected by Brian Foss, one of the hosts of KEXP’s punk show Sonic Reducer. He will be hosting his 20th annual Punk Rock Xmess on Saturday, December 23rd from 9 PM to midnight PT, and then tune in on Monday, December 25th from 7 AM - 4 PM PT, for No Standards Christmas. You won't hear a single "holiday standard," but instead get a mix of soul, rock, blues, hip-hop, and more!

After 20 years of the Punk Rock Xmess on KEXP, we have a Song of the Day written exclusively for the occasion by Seattle's own SQUISH!, a supergroup of sorts featuring former members of Dumps, Sir Coyler, Gold Fronts, and many others. 

As they write on Instagram: "We recorded this with @rickrubin at Abbey Road over the course of 9 months with several guest musicians like @daveghrol and @icespice. We hope you like it."

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Zaid Kreshan - "Shadeed" from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

Cairo-based Jordanian artist Zaid Kreshan can often be found doing production for Arabic Pop artist Zaid Khaled (and as a content creator for SceneNoise), but he steps to the forefront for today's dreamy, yet frenetic Song of the Day. 

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Oun Jweinat - "Love We Battle" from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

DJ/producer Oun Jweinat divides his time between Liverpool, England, and Amman, Jordan, where he's part of the music-collective-turned-record-label House of Afandi, who've released this week's Songs of the Day. 

Jweinat began mixing and DJing at the age of 11, inspired by his older brother. His captivating compositions make him a stand out in the Middle-Eastern electronic music scene.  

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Arabian Panther - "Gaza’s Tears" from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

French/Lebanese DJ/producer Arabian Panther has long used his music as a platform for social justice. He performs on stage obscured behind a black keffiyeh, as a sign of support to the Palestinian cause and to his roots. To him, the "Arabian Panther" is a fictional character, a warrior atop a feline, inspired by Alamut and the Ashashins. 

He has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinian rights, and his first recording was released on the first Palestinian electronic music label, Harara. He's currently working on his third EP and his debut album. 

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Moktar - Free Palestine from the 2023 compilation album By the People, For the People on House of Afandi Records

Egyptian-Australian artist Moktar proudly infuses influences from his Middle-Eastern heritage into his techno, house, and electro compositions. (His father is a famed Egyptian conductor and composer of Arabic and folk music.) 

As he states on Instagram, "I’ve witnessed many talented musicians in Palestine and Europe facing significant challenges, losing opportunities, and being pushed into silence. It’s disheartening to see their voices being suppressed. In response, I am determined not to remain silent. Now, more than ever, I feel a responsibility to occupy space with our voices."

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ODESZA - "In the Rain," a 2023 single on Foreign Family Collective

Beloved Bellingham-based boys ODESZA share a new single, both as a stand-alone track and available on volume two of the Rave.wavs compilation series released via their own Foreign Family Collective label. 

The duo of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight state simply, "'In the Rain' was written on the road while performing our The Last Goodbye Tour. We wanted to make something fun and high energy that would particularly work well in a live environment.” 

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Golden Features - "Flesh" from the 2023 album Sisyphus on Foreign Family Collective

With today's techno-tinged Song of the Day, Australian DJ/producer Golden Features (real name: Thomas Stell) celebrates a city he discovered on tour: Berlin. 

"'Flesh' was one of the earlier demos from the album's writing process," he shared in a press statement. "It was a direct response to my time in Berlin and a song that encapsulated everything I fell in love with on my journeys. I wrote it trying to express feelings of being under the weight of an eight-hour session in the rave. Overstimulated, anxious, and completely terrified of facing the real world outside. Finally gathering the courage to call it a night experiencing the surreal shift that is walking out of a windowless dungeon into a beautiful sunrise."

The track can be found on his second, and most recent, LP Sisyphus, which was released via ODESZA's Foreign Family Collective label.

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Barry Can't Swim - "Dance of the Crab" from the 2023 album When Will We Land? on Ninja Tune

Scottish DJ/producer Barry Can’t Swim found inspiration from '70s-era Brazilian group Trio Ternura for today's Song of the Day. The track can be found on his debut full-length, When Will We Land?, which features a joyous and ambitious blend of jazz, house, and Afrobeat. Today's featured track in particular, found inspiration in the funky poly-rhythms of Trio Ternura, as the artist (real name: Joshua Mannie) explained in a press release:

“The track started over a year ago, I had just started the album and was digging for samples when I found this amazing record ‘A Gira’ (1973) by a Brazilian group called Trio Ternura. Immediately I could hear the track I wanted to build around it: a summery, groovy, not taking too much away from the original but just giving it a bit more energy”.

“Then we had to clear the sample. After some searching, we eventually managed to get in touch with one of the original writers based in Brazil, who is now well into his 70s and doesn’t speak a word of English. Somehow we managed to contact him on FB messenger, and a friend of mine who speaks Portuguese was the middle man. It all came together quite quickly after that, and we’ve now met all the family of the original writers. Quite wholesome really. Thank you to Trio Ternura for letting me sample the record!”

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Middle Kids - "Dramamine" from the 2024 album Faith Crisis Pt 1 on Middle Kids/ AWAL

Sydney, Australia-based trio Middle Kids celebrate love on today's Song of the Day. The track was co-written by bandmates vocalist/guitarist Hannah Joy and bassist Tim Fitz, who also happen to be married. This revelation makes the chorus of: 

"You are the only reason I believe in anything/
I hope you don't take this the wrong way"

even more poignant. 

The single gives a sneak peek at their forthcoming third full-length, Faith Crisis Pt 1. The album was co-produced by Fitz and Jonathan Gilmore (The 1975/Rina Sawayama), and will be released on February 16, 2024, via Lucky Number.

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M83 - "Mirror," a 2023 single on M83 Recording Inc/Mute

It's not déjà vu: if you feel like you've heard this M83 song before, you may have! Today's Song of the Day dates back to the 2011 album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, and was released as a hidden track found as a secret download in the packaging of the CD. For those who don't own a CD player anymore, the song was then re-released as a Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch single in 2012. And now, the fan-favorite track has been re-re-released as a digital single.

"It’s a track that never came out digitally and we close our shows with that song," M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez told Billboard. "The response of the audience has been great so far, and it’s an unknown song that deserves to be properly released in my opinion.”

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Maya Marie & Night Wizards - "The Garden," a 2023 self-released single

Earlier this year, Seattle psych-pop band Night Wizards teamed up with soulful siren Maya Marie for the single "The Garden." Now they've reconvened for this sultry electro-pop jam. Here's hoping for a full-length from this collaboration in 2024. 

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King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - "Theia (Extended Mix)" from the 2023 album The Silver Cord on KGLW

The Australian psych sextet King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard might be making KEXP history with this 20-minute long track, which I'm pretty sure is the longest Song of the Day offering to date! The single comes from their 25th overall LP (and second of 2023), The Silver Cord, which finds the experimental group delving into electronic music.

“We come at electronic music from an amateur angle,” frontman Stu Mackenzie says in a press release. “I play the Juno synthesizer like a guitar, I don’t really know how to play it. But I wanted to be at peace with being the rock band pretending to know how to use modular synthesizers. We’re in uncharted waters, we’re further out to sea, but leaning into it, and we got to a spot where we were really happy with what came out.”

As for today's Song of the Day, Mackenzie declares, "It’s for the Gizz-heads," adding, "I love Donna Summer’s records with Giorgio Moroder, and I’d never listen to the short versions now – I’m one of those people who wants to hear the whole thing. We’re testing the boundaries of people’s attention spans when it comes to listening to music, perhaps – but I’m heavily interested in destroying such concepts."

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Autogramm - "WannaBe," a 2023 single on Stomp Records

Today's Song of the Day comes from mostly-Northwest new wavers Autogramm: drummer/synths/guitarist/vocalist The Silo now lives in Chicago, while vocalist/guitarist Jiffy Marx and vocalist/bassist CC Voltage hail from Vancouver; vocalist/guitarist Lars Von Seattle resides — well, you can guess! On their third full-length — titled Music That Humans Can Play, released earlier this month — the guys continue to flex their '80s power-pop-influenced sound, calling to mind acts like The Cars, Devo, and Gary Numan. 

In a press statement, The Silo shares, “'WannaBe' began as a way to say to the most important person in my life that I will stand beside them no matter what their direction, self-opinion, or physical state of being. Upon further reflection, I thought it could apply more broadly to all of our relationships in life: it’s a declaration of love and support to any friend, child, or lover who is going through a change in their self-perception; the idea that gender, occupation, size, skin, are all merely physical manifestations of being and will never matter as much as the person underneath it all.”

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Alex Vile - "Stainless," a 2023 self-released single.

Tacoma's own Alex Vile began as a solo project of vocalist/guitarist Alexandra Vilenius, but are currently a power quartet featuring Kaelyn Stevens on bass, Leo Quale on lead guitar, and Evan Hartung on drums. While new on the scene, they've been recording with veteran producer Jim Kaufman (Helmet, Everclear, and assistant composer on the score to the horror movie, Saw), who elevates the band's '90s-grunge influence to more modern heights. 

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The Veldt - "Aurora Borealis (feat. Elizabeth Fraser)," a 2023 single on 5BC Records

Back in August, we shared a different track from soul-gaze siblings The Veldt, a duo formed in 1986 by identical twins Daniel and Danny Chavis. Like that previous Song of the Day, this one comes from their "lost" LP, which was recorded in 1989 with the Cocteau Twins‘ Robin Guthrie as producer, but ended up getting shelved when the band was dropped by their label. The track features guest vocals from Guthrie's bandmate, the iconic Elizabeth Fraser, singing back-up towards the end of the song.

In a press statement, Danny Chavis shares, “This song was written in 1986 and was included in the first batch of songs we demoed under the name VELDT. Having heard Treasure by Cocteau Twins, this song was inspired by that very album and RUN DMC’s Sucker MCs around the same time that year.” He continues, “This song is about my brother’s love for his newborn daughter, written out of high school and dug out around the time the band had started to get noticed. We had written so many, but it was one of the newest pieces that we had begun experimenting. This would signal our departure from being a band that made people dance to a band that made people confused.” 

As of last week, the album — titled Illuminated 1989 — is finally available on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digitally via Portland-based Little Cloud Records and 5BC Records. It was re-mastered by Guthrie earlier this year. 

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Gabriel Teodros - "An Open Letter to My Cousins in Israel" from the 2023 self-released album From the Ashes of Our Homes

Today's Song of the Day comes from beloved local artist/activist (and former KEXP DJ) Gabriel Teodros, whose powerful latest LP, From the Ashes of Our Homes, reflects deeply on the theme of losing your home, whether to an actual fire (as in the case of Teodros himself) or to the pandemic, climate change, or war. In the case of today's Song of the Day, that home is Palestine, a place, as he sings, "where the soldiers show up and they look like us." 

As he writes on Facebook:

I wrote this song thinking of all Ethiopians in the diaspora as “cousins” not knowing I had actual cousins in the IDF. I knew it was possible though.
Today I just found out one of our little cousins got summoned to the front lines out there.
To be scared for someone and scared about what they might do.
Sending love to everyone resisting war, resisting occupation, resisting the killing of innocent people.
We all have to do what we can to stop a genocide.
Resist. Free Palestine.

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Kauwila & Inalihi - "Pae ʻĀina to Palestine" from the 2023 album Rise Up: BDS Mixtape vol. 2 on Amplify Palestine

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by DJs Miss Ashley, Kevin Sur, Tory, and Isabel Khalili in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. From Hawai’i to Sudan, these songs represent the global solidarity movement in support of Palestinians and anti-colonialism. The BDS Mixtape series that features three of this week’s songs was inspired by the 1985 Sun City album by artists boycotting apartheid South Africa. To learn more about the music and its connection to the cause, visit Majazz Project and Amplify Palestine.

Honolulu-based duo Kauwila & Inalihi note the connection between Hawaii and Palestine on today's Song of the Day. 

As Kauwila writes on Instagram, "Unearthing our storied solidarities that are nearly two centuries old is a a path towards rejecting western-centric forms of governance as a norm. Those tired models only reproduce the violences of colonization, genocide, patriarchy, capitalism, religious oppression, and state violence to privilege the corporations, militaries, banks of the rich. When we center aloha aina, deep love for the land, we will remember these deep connections between Hawaii and Palestine: We are two occupied nations struggling for liberation, we are too in love with our land and our nation!"

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Riad Awwad, Hanan Awwad, and Mahmoud Darwish - "I'm From Jerusalem" from the 2023 album The Intifada 1987 on Majazz Project

In December 1987, the First Intifada of protests and violent riots broke out, carried out by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and Israel. Palestinian Riad Awwad was an electrical engineer with a passion for music, and within a week, he began recording this album in the family living room, using instruments he built himself. Today's Song of the Day features Riad's sister Hanan, as well as lyrics by Riad's friend, Palestinian national poet Mahmoud Darwish. 

He titled the 11-track album The Intifada 1987, pressing 3,000 cassette tapes and circulating them around the Old City of Jerusalem and across the West Bank until the Israeli military intervened. Riad was arrested and detained for several months. To this day, copies of the album remain in the military archives, but in 2020, one copy managed to find its way to artist and music collector Mo’min Swaitat, who established the Majazz Project to release musical treasures like this. 

Unfortunately, Awwad never lived to see his album pressed and released worldwide like this. He was killed in a car accident in 2005. His legacy lives on, not only in his music, but in the children of the West Bank who he inspired. Before his passing, he founded a school there, teaching children how to create their own electronic musical equipment.

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Alsarah & the Nubatones - "Men Ana" from the 2023 album Rise Up: BDS Mixtape vol. 2 on Amplify Palestine

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by DJs Miss Ashley, Kevin Sur, Tory, and Isabel Khalili in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. From Hawai’i to Sudan, these songs represent the global solidarity movement in support of Palestinians and anti-colonialism. The BDS Mixtape series that features three of this week’s songs was inspired by the 1985 Sun City album by artists boycotting apartheid South Africa. To learn more about the music and its connection to the cause, visit Majazz Project and Amplify Palestine.

Written in the midst of the 2019 Sudanese revolution, today's Song of the Day is a tribute from Alsarah & the Nubatones to the youth resistance in her birthplace of Sudan. "This song was a call from the diaspora to home," she explains on Bandcamp. "In this song I hope to define myself through the joys of memories past, and those coming up. A song to plan for the joy you wish to have and focus the mind on the essence of who you wish to be so that future may happen."

The accompanying music video was directed by Mai Elgizouli, whose aim was to show support for survivors with this clip. She shares, “As I listened to many stories from various young people who felt survivor’s guilt after the traumatic events of the massacre I began to think more about the subject of mental health and the importance of Art and Music, especially during a time like this, in allowing us to come to terms with who we are and realize the importance of our emotional healing.”

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Al-Fajer Group - "Halalalalayya - ه​ل​ا​ل​ا​ل​ي​ا" from the 2022 (reissue) album Al Fajer (The Dawn) on Majazz Project

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by DJs Miss Ashley, Kevin Sur, Tory, and Isabel Khalili in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. From Hawai’i to Sudan, these songs represent the global solidarity movement in support of Palestinians and anti-colonialism. The BDS Mixtape series that features three of this week’s songs was inspired by the 1985 Sun City album by artists boycotting apartheid South Africa. To learn more about the music and its connection to the cause, visit Majazz Project and Amplify Palestine.

Formed in Kuwait in 1987, the Al-Fajer Group became known for their fiercely patriotic songs, written in response to the Palestinian liberation struggle. They performed their music acoustically, never using electronic equipment during their sets. 

Today's Song of the Day kicks off their debut album, Al Fajer (The Dawn) ف​ر​ق​ة ا​ل​ف​ج​ر ا​ل​ف​ل​س​ط​ي​ن​ي​ة, which was written and recorded in 1990, but was never released as the band fled the country after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The London-based Majazz Project / Palestine Sound Archive finally released the LP last year, marking the first time it has been available via vinyl. 

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Lusine - “Dreaming (feat. Asy Saavedra)" from the 2023 album Long Light on Ghostly International Records

Seattle-based producer Jeff McIlwain — aka Lusine — returns with his ninth full-length, Long Light. The album takes its title from a lyric in the title track, written by collaborator Benoît Pioulard: "long light signaling the fall again," reflective of the artist's now 20-year career. “Music making is a struggle and you have to have a ton of patience,” McIlwain shares in a press statement. He adds, “There’s this sort of paranoia where you don’t know what is real, it’s an age of high anxiety and there are all these distractions. It’s like a fun house mirror situation.” 

Across the eleven tracks on the album, McIlwain's signature loops are as mesmerizing as ever. The LP features guest appearances from Sarah Jaffe, longtime collaborator Vilja Larjosto, the aforementioned Pioulard, and on today's Song of the Day, Asy Saavedra of Chaos Chaos and formerly Smoosh.

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Gen & the Degenerates - "Big Hit Single," a 2023 single on Marshall Amplification Plc Records

When you ask the Liverpool-based band Gen & the Degenerates to write a "big hit single," well, today's Song of the Day is exactly what you'll get! The cheeky pop-punk track was written in response to a request from their label, Marshall Records. 

Vocalist Genevieve Glynn-Reeves explains: "If you want the highbrow answer, then 'Big Hit Single' is about the experience of creating art under late capitalism. If you want the lowbrow – and slightly more honest – answer, then 'Big Hit Single' is me trying to wind up our label. They’d made quite a reasonable request… ‘Please can you write more songs like the song that did well and stop experimenting with every genre under the sun in a completely chaotic and hedonistic manner?’ Unfortunately, I have issues with authority… My parents often regale me with the tale of my Year 4 parent’s evening, in which my teacher described me as ‘too wild, in the bohemian sense.’ If Mrs Baker couldn’t get me to behave, then what chance did Marshall Records have? Luckily, they have a good sense of humour over at Marshall.”

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Welsh duo Siula are new on the scene but you’d be remiss to not realize it given their big and refined sound. Based out of Cardiff, the group brings together the forces of Cotton Wolf’s Llion Robertson and Artshawty’s Iqra Malik. Arpeggiating synths dance vividly against booming beats. It’s a match made in heaven, ready for the dance floor. - Dusty Henry

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Based out of Pamplona, Spain, Melnas are evoking a refreshed, revamped, and revelatory take on dream pop. Supposedly they started out work on their new album Ahora with a basic premise: “can you make jangle pop and garage rock with synthesizers?” The answer is apparently yes. The song “Bang” is effervescent, yet propulsive. A delicate balance of restraint with booming synthesizer whirls propelling their soft, entrancing melodies forward. Evoking Stereolab and Kraftwerk, the band find themselves in good company with this exciting direction. - Dusty Henry

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The moniker of Robin Paul Braum, Athlete Whippet is always challenging himself to push beyond his own boundaries. Studying music at London’s renowned Goldsmiths, he brings that same academic rigor to his production and dance nights. His latest EP, U Never Listen, finds him singing over his own production as well. “U Look at Me” is a perfect ode to dance floor romance. That look across the room, a glance beckoning to dance. The house beats, dreamy vocals, and banging synthesizer lines make for a euphoric club experience, readily available in your headphones. - Dusty Henry

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Swamp Wife - "The Spit" from the 2023 EP Swamp Wife EP on LACE Records

Seattle quartet Swamp Wife are so new, they just played their first live show back in June. Today's Song of the Day comes from their self-titled debut EP, which was just released last month. KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley calls it "a solid introduction to their both melodic and fierce post-punk sound, with swirling guitars and catchy hooks."

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Drop Nineteens - "A Hitch" a 2023 single on Wharf Cat Records

It's been 30 years, but Boston shoegazers Drop Nineteens returned last week with their long-awaited third full-length, Hard Light. The album features the band's original line-up of Greg Ackell, Steve Zimmerman, Paula Kelley, Motohiro Yasue, with drummer Pete Koeplin (who played on the band's second album, National Coma). Co-founder Ackell describes the new album as "the band’s proverbial follow up to [their 1992 debut] Delaware, a modern Drop Nineteens record that is completely singular in its sound and vision."

In fact, today's Song of the Day is the song that got the reunion rolling. “’A Hitch,’ was the first song the band wrote when they got back together,” Ackell explains in a press release. “It set the tone for the rest of the album, for what a new Drop Nineteens song could sound like.”

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Sheer Mag - "All Lined Up," a 2023 single on Third Man Records

Philadelphia-based punks Sheer Mag have been signed to Third Man Records, who will not only be reissuing their older albums, but their forthcoming full-length as well (no hard details yet, but stay tuned for a release date). 

“Having been aware of Sheer Mag since their earliest 7-inch singles and keeping up with their self-released, independent, DIY take-no-prisoners ethos, I never envisioned a world where they would ever sign to a record label,” said Third Man’s Ben Blackwell in a press statement. “So imagine how ecstatic we were at Third Man when the band reached out to us directly and asked if we’d be interested in partnering with them. Still doesn’t seem real. We are beyond honored, humbled really, to receive their handshake and their trust. This is gonna be fun as shit.”

Today's Song of the Day is a tease at what's to come. The band explain the track was inspired by "late nights at the bar playing pool. Last call has long come and gone, the gate is down, the ashtrays are out and your friend behind the bar is giving it all away. Despite the revelry, there’s a looming sense of dread — a fear that no matter how far ahead you get, all it takes is one bad shot to lose the game.”

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IAN SWEET - "Your Spit" a 2023 single on Polyvinyl Records

Ian Sweet — the project of L.A.-based artist Jilian Medford — returned last week with her fourth full-length, titled SUCKER, an album she began writing during a post-COVID cross-country road trip to an artist residency. “I went there not knowing exactly what I wanted to do or make, but I knew I wanted to explore and get out of my comfort zone," she says via a press release. "I forced myself to make things on the spot, in the moment and not overthink it too much.”

One of the resulting tracks is today's Song of the Day, a track Medford says is "about the joy and fear that surrounds new relationships. The excitement that’s also accompanied by doubt. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say the song is just mostly about making out.”

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Angélica Garcia - "El Que," a 2023 single on Partisan Records

The title to today's Song of the Day roughly translates to English as "He Who," and songwriter Angélica Garcia describes the lyrics as "a specific inner monologue that I have navigated most of my life."

The Brooklyn-based artist continues in a press statement, "Keeping myself and my body safe as a woman is such a careful dance that I often play out in my head, like a lion tamer facing a lion. The vocals were done in one take, and the performance required so much of my energy I couldn’t sing for two days afterwards. The chorus gets its power from all the backing voices coming in to support me from another realm, and it’s where I name the danger. When you’re exorcizing a demon, you have to call it by its name."

The track was produced by Chicano Batman’s Carlos Arévalo, and marks the first time Garcia has released a single in her native language. 

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This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by Sharlese, in honor of Halloween week. For more dark sounds in various wave and synth genres, check out her show Mechanical Breakdown, Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 1-3 AM PT. 

Vancouver-based duo Wire Spine has been weaving their industrial-influenced darkwave sound since 2015. It's been a few years since their debut full-length, 
Bury Me Here, but we're excited to share their brand new single as today's Song of the Day. On Facebook, founding members Robert and Jesi say to "keep an eye out for details about the full album release."

Wire Spine is playing Sunday, November 12th in Seattle at Substation with Actors, Dead Spells, and Graveyard Gossip.

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Brixx - Erotomania (feat. Kim Little) from the 2023 album Erotomania on SYNTHICIDE

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by Sharlese, in honor of Halloween. For more dark sounds in various wave and synth genres, check out her show Mechanical Breakdown, Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 1-3 AM PT. 

Melbourne, Australia-based DJ, producer, and composer Brixx teams up with Kim Little aka Hnymlk on today's Song of the Day. The single comes off Brixx's latest LP, Erotomania, which was inspired by film scores from Wang Chung's soundtrack for To Live and Die in L.A. to cinematic composers Harold Faltermeyer, Brad Fiedel, and Claudio Simonetti.

“I wanted to create a soundscape that was an amalgamation of the musical palette defined by these films — icy synths, gated drums and arpeggiated bass,” Brixx says in a press statement. “The challenge was to create instrumental pieces I could imagine in such a film, and then to use the defining elements of these scores to create music that could also be played on a dancefloor.”

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XTR Human - "I Want More" from a forthcoming full-length out 2024 on Wie ein Gott Records

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by Sharlese, in honor of Halloween. For more dark sounds in various wave and synth genres, check out her show Mechanical Breakdown, Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 1-3 AM PT. 

With today's Song of the Day, German post-punk project XTR Human shares an early listen at their forthcoming full-length out 2024 via Wie ein Gott Records. Johannes Stabel, the long-time mastermind behind the act, describes today's featured track as "a deep dive into an unyielding urge to consume." 

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Nature Nvoke - "Shadow" a 2023 self-released single

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by Sharlese, in honor of Halloween. For more dark sounds in various wave and synth genres, check out her show Mechanical Breakdown, Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 1-3 AM PT. 

Cleveland-based musician Nate Eberhardt explores the gamut of genres, first through hip-hop and punk rock, but now, with his project Nature Nvoke, through darkwave electronic music. He reflects to Black Techno Matters about the moment he discovered this style:

It was like nothing else I'd ever heard before. It wasn't just about the sound; it was about how it made me feel.

That's when I realized that making music is not just about telling a story or giving people something to dance to; it's also about what happens in your head when you listen to it. And that's why this project is so important: because when we take our own experiences and make them into something bigger than ourselves, we're able to share them with others who may need them as much as we do.

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El Ojo y La Navaja - "Cuerpo Muerto" from the 2021 self-released album Extimidad

This week’s Song of the Day picks were chosen by Sharlese, in honor of Halloween. For more dark sounds in various wave and synth genres, check out her show Mechanical Breakdown, Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 1-3 AM PT. 

Today's Song of the Day comes from El Ojo y la Navaja, a minimal synth project out of Mexico masterminded by musician Erick Arévalo. For this featured track, he collaborated with Paola Gaona aka Fatal Error, an artist from Colombia. You can find the song on his debut LP Extimidad, which he says was inspired by "the sinister mental illness and despair brought on by obsession."

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Small Paul - "Miner for a Dream" from the 2023 self-released album Come Alive & Live Again

When you've got four talented musicians in your COVID bubble, the only thing to do during the pandemic is start a band! This is how Ballard-based quartet Small Paul came to be, featuring housemates Kevin Murphy from The Moondoggies, Chris King and Malcolm Roberts from Chris King & The Gutterballs, and Seth McDonald from All Star Opera. Their debut LP, Come Alive & Live Again, was produced by Erik Blood.

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Jungle - "Dominoes" from the 2023 album Volcano on Caoila Records/ AWAL.

British production duo Jungle return with their fourth LP, Volcano, and this time around, they've tapped into some collaborators like Erick The Architect, Bas, Roots Manuva, Channel Tres, and JNR Williams. The result is a full-length co-founder J Lloyd tells NME is "actually really the most honest record we’ve made."

“In my head, I see us as like Daft Punk or Chemical Brothers – that sort of duo that makes electronic music," he continues. “But we’ve always had this soul side and this love for soul music, so it’s always been a little bit more song-based. The new record is just an extension of that journey.”

Today's Song of the Day reflects this new direction, with its effervescent vibe and warmth. 

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Activity - "Department of Blood" from the 2023 album Spirit in the Room on Western Vinyl

The latest LP from Brooklyn band Activity — titled Spirit in the Room — is appropriately "haunting." Songs take inspiration from the loss of vocalist/mutli-instrumentalist Travis Johnson's mother to pancreatic cancer, including today's Song of the Day. 

“The grief was (and sometimes is) this colossal thing,” he shares in a press statement, “and I kept finding myself thinking of how I could find her or get in touch with her, like there was a phone number or address and I just had to find it.”

As he explains to Flood Magazine, “Department of Blood" tackles these frustrations, “the feeling of knowing you’re being manipulated by something way more powerful than you and also knowing you can do absolutely nothing about it. Just that resignation. It seemed to work.” 

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Grandaddy - "The Town Where I'm Livin Now" from the 2023 album Sunday: Excess Baggage on Dangerbird Records

Long-time KEXP faves Grandaddy recently a digital-only collection of rarities and b-sides titled Sumday: Excess Baggage. With a career spanning three decades, there are a lot of gems within, including today's Song of the Day, a dreamy tribute to songwriter Jason Lytle's home in California.

“I like making songs like this," he shares in a press release. "Lots of bleak but sweet visuals. Everyday stuff available for everyone to see…but some of us just end up with the twisted work of documenting it.”

On the collection, he continues:

“After many years of hammering away at writing and recording as Grandaddy, Sumday seems to be the center of it and where it all peaked. To the journalists we were, ‘On the verge of greatness, underrated, overlooked, unsung.’ It was a tumultuous and exciting time for us for sure. Also very exhausting."

“Revisiting this material and reflecting on those times has been a double edged sword. Bittersweet is an apt word, I suppose. Twenty years after the fact, I’m just grateful to be alive and kicking… celebrating that moment in time by re-releasing the original album, B sides and extras of that era, and even some raw cassette demos of the album itself a sort of sketchbook/rough draft of the LP in cassette form. So be it then. ‘On the verge of greatness, underrated, overlooked, unsung.’ This is what all of that sounds like. I’ll take it.”

Revisit our 2020 interview with Lytle on their last full-length, 2017's Last Place, and the passing of their bassist Kevin Garcia. 

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Tycho - "Time to Run" a 2023 single on Mom + Pop Records

It should come as no surprise that our host of The Runcast should choose the track "Time To Run" for today's Song of the Day. Like KEXP DJ John Richards, Scott Hansen — the producer behind long-running electronic project Tycho — is a runner. As he explains in a press statement:

“Music has always served as a kind of meditation for me, long before I started creating it. As a competitive runner throughout my early life, I would play back loops of songs in my head to cope with the stress of races, focusing on rhythmic elements to help pace myself and stay calm. There is a unique form of clarity that I have found through the meditative practice of running, it is a fundamentally human experience and when I feel the deepest connection between the mind, body and nature. ‘Time To Run’ is my attempt to translate these ideas into music. My goal was to approach the composition from a new angle and let the rhythmic elements take the lead. I cast the melodic elements that have come to define the Tycho sound in a new light by juxtaposing them against a new foundation that takes cues from funk music.”

The track gives a tease at Tycho's forthcoming 2024 full-length. Details are scarce, but MusicTech reports that Grizzly Bear’s Christopher Taylor will be on board as mix engineer. 

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Dabda - "Flower Tail" from the 2023 album Yonder on Electric Muse Records

Korean quartet Dabda / 다브다 call their unique brand of math-rock "Pastel Psychedelic," which you can hear in the soft, dreamy sonic waves they weave on their latest EP Yonder. 

Though based in Seoul, the band found inspiration in a recent trip to Thailand, describing it as "an intense experience."

"The gap between the manufactured nature in vacation spots, which we usually are comforted with, and the nature that exists wildly was interesting," they continue in a press release. "We tried to capture the changing of air according to the season when the songs were made and I hope that the various temperaments of nature contained in each song will comfort and liberate the listeners." Today's Song of the Day "tells the story of a voyage through the horizon, sailing on a flower boat in the tropical sea. At the same time, the song is about the ones who set sail and leave for somewhere. In southern Thailand, the bow of a long-tailed wooded boat is decorated with flowers of different shapes, which is said to be a wish for the well-being of fishermen leaving for the sea."

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During KEXP’s fall fund drive, discover the variety of music podcasts we produce at KEXP and hear some of our favorite clips from each one. We’re thankful to the thousands of amplifiers who already donate to KEXP, building the foundation for our community of storytelling, and we want you to join them with a one-time donation or a recurring gift!

50 Years of Hip-Hop: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/50-years-of-hip-hop/

El Sonido: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/el-sonido/

Fresh off the Spaceship: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/fresh-off-the-spaceship/

Live on KEXP: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/live-on-kexp/

Sound and Vision: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/sound-vision/

Song of the Day: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/song-of-the-day/

KEXP Podcasts on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kexppodcasts

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Subsonic Eye - "Performative," from the 2023 album All Around You on Topshelf Records.

Singaporean dream-pop group Subsonic Eye continue their exploration of nature on their latest LP, All Around You. This examination of the natural world around urban landscapes began on their third album, 2021's Nature of Things. "Ticking boxes / charging laptops / separating causes from ourselves," they sing on today's Song of the Day.

"Nature is everywhere around you, even in the city," vocalist Nur Wahidah told Whiteboard Journal last year. "It adds something special like cycling to school. It’s not just going to school — enjoying your time outside. I feel like a lot of people would think of it as like, 'oh, I live in the city, that means I can’t go into nature and stuff.' But, I think we all realized that nature is everywhere around us."

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James and the Cold Gun - "Something to Say" from their self-titled 2023 album on Loosegroove Records

Often referred to as “South Wales’ loudest group,” the Cardiff, UK-based garage rockers James and the Cold Gun share their self-titled debut album via Seattle's own Loosegroove Records, the label owned by Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) & Regan Hagar (Malfunkshun, Brad, Satchel). Gossard describes the band as "a shot of pure adrenaline," and invited the group to open for Pearl Jam at their Hyde Park show. 

Frontman James Joseph calls the new LP, "a no frills rock and roll ripper recorded ourselves in the garage where we first started jamming as a band, we think it’s a great introduction to what we’re about at our core, loud, energetic guitar rock."

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DAIISTAR - "Speed Jesus" from the 2023 album Good Time on Fuzz Club Records

Austin, TX psych-rock band DAIISTAR shine on their debut LP Good Time. The album was produced by Alex Maas of The Black Angels and engineered by James Petralli of White Denim. Formed in the Spring of 2020, Alex Capistran (vocals/guitar), Nick Cornetti (drums), Misti Hamrick (bass) and Derek Strahan (keys) escaped the doldrums of the pandemic through sonic waves of guitar. 

“To us, these songs were a glimmer of light," Capistran says in a press release. “Starting a band at the peak of the pandemic to some might seem ill-timed, but to us it was a way to escape for a moment. There was something to look forward to and we kept our heads in the future. These songs guided us through some dark times and hopefully they can do the same for you. GOOD TIME is here.”

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Drew Martin - "Second Nature," from the 2023 album Where's Your Feet on Kritter Records

Kānaka Maoli singer/songwriter Drew Martin recently returned to Seattle from Maui, releasing his latest LP Where’s Your Feet?. As he writes on Instagram, "There’s some joy on this record, there’s some grit on this record, there’s some chicken skin on this record." Drew utilizes a Hawaiian slack-key guitar in his folky blues-style songs, as you can hear on today's Song of the Day. 

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Miiesha - "Made for Silence," from the 2022 self-released album Smoke & Mirrors

Though still in her early-20s, R&B artist Miiesha is already a five-time ARIA nominee (like the Australian GRAMMYs) and NIMA (National Indigenous Music Awards) award-winning artist. Her 2019 debut LP, Nyaaringu, explored themes of growing up in Woorabinda — an Aboriginal community in Queensland — with interludes of her late Grandmother's voice woven between the songs. ("For me, she was and always will stay with me as the strongest voice in my life, so I felt she had to be a part of this with me," Miiesha told Stack in 2020.) 

On today's Song of the Day, Miiesha continues to explore her grief at the loss of her grandmother, as well as examine her complex relationship with her mom. 

"I wasn't in a good place in my journey [when I wrote this song]. This was around the time that my Nana passed, and I was also going through a tough time with my mum. My writing sessions were really dragging on because I was going through it; I remember thinking that I didn't even want to do music anymore," she tells Refinery 29. "For me, 'Made for Silence' is about that rollercoaster relationship with my mum. The song is me expressing my exhaustion towards our arguing and tension. Like, can you be quiet for one second and just listen to me?! Writing the lyrics and singing them has been really healing for me because it was so emotional to even just vocalize the things I'd been feeling. And for my mom to hear it... that's done so much for me."

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Bobby Sanchez - "the premonition (lethalneedle)" from the 2023 album Melancholy Tgirl on Harawiq Records

"Indigenous people is who I pray for / The past can be painful so we face forward"

A veteran Song of the Day featured artist, American-Peruvian Indigenous songwriter Bobby Sanchez kicked off 2023 with their sixth EP, titled Melancholy Tgirl. The three-song release continues Sanchez's mission of using art to speak out for Indigenous rights, as well as for LGBTQ+ rights, environmental preservation, immigration, and more. 

Sanchez's Indigenous blood originates from Ayacucho, Peru; she was born and raised on Lenape and Siwanoy land. Sanchez found her voice through poetry at seven; by age 15, she was attending poetry slams and open mics, which soon evolved into hip-hop compositions. Today's Song of the Day features fierce verses against a delicate looped piano piece, resulting in an empowering, thoughtful groove. 

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This week’s Song of the Day picks, as chosen by DJ Miss Ashley, coincide with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. While Indigenous Peoples’ Day is recognized on October 9, KEXP will be paying tribute to Indigenous artists throughout the whole week here and throughout the rest of our podcasts and programming. Learn more about our Indigenous Peoples’ Day coverage. 

Warning: This write-up touches on topics of suicide. 

In 2019, Statistics Canada delivered an alarming report about the Indigenous suicide rate crisis – finding that Indigenous people in Canada are three times more likely to die by suicide than non-Indigenous Canadians. This troubling data reflects the harrowing experience and conditions not just in Canada, but for Indigenous people across the globe. 

Jeremy Dutcher commemorates this experience in his heart-wrenching song “Ancestors Too Young.” The enigmatic songwriter is known for their dazzling blend of their classical training and pop songwriting. Dutcher, who is from the Tobique First Nation, will often sing in Wolastoqey. But on this song, Dutcher sings in English. Against a beautiful backdrop of piano, organ, strings, and smattering drums, Dutcher’s voice pleads and aches. Less of a sentimental song and more of a dire asking – why? Why does this have to be this way? On the chorus Dutcher soars with the refrain “Ancestors too young, where do they go?” 

Dutcher’s powerful plea is a needed revelation for the masses. As he says in the song, this epidemic is not something that should be ignored until more pass away. There is urgency in Dutcher’s voice, just as their should be urgency in all of us to wake up and make change and reconcile the perpetuated conditions that have led to this tragic moment in history. - Dusty Henry

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This week’s Song of the Day picks, as chosen by DJ Miss Ashley, coincide with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. While Indigenous Peoples’ Day is recognized on October 9, KEXP will be paying tribute to Indigenous artists throughout the whole week here and throughout the rest of our podcasts and programming. Learn more about our Indigenous Peoples’ Day coverage. 

Mali Obomsawin is an award-winning jazz musician from Abenaki First Nation at Odanak. Though she only just released her debut album, Sweet Tooth, in 2022, her rise and acclaim has been meteoric. She’s been called one of the top 10 emerging jazz artists by GRAMMY.com, earning critical acclaim from NPR, The Guardian, and JazzTimes. She also received the International Folk music Association’s Rising Tide Award in 2022. 

But all that doesn’t do Obomsawin’s work justice. Sweet Tooth bridges the celestial connections between jazz and traditional indigenous music, embracing the freedom of expression that both traditions allow, using sounds instead of words to articulate feelings. Sweet Tooth bridges traditional songs from Obomsawin’s life with new original compositions. One of the latter comes with “Lineage.” A sprawling instrumental, the song gives the feeling of traversing space and time in the way that only great jazz can do. As a bassist by trade, Obomsawin’s composition digs deep into the low feelings of searching and feeling your way through life. Matched with the song’s title, you can feel an exploration of her past and possibly even the future. When her voice does come in and out throughout the song, it feels like a grounding in this deep, immersive, swell of the universe. 

Believe the hype, maybe even take it further. Obomsawin is tapping into something greater than herself on this record and it’s a joy to experience. - Dusty Henry

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Speedy Ortiz - "You S02," from the 2023 album Rabbit Rabbit on Wax Nine Records

On today's Song of the Day, Speedy Ortiz songwriter Sadie Dupuis finds inspiration in season 2 of the Netflix series You. She explains in a press statement:

"Mostly when I’ve met my musical heroes, they’re kind and principled people. But occasionally someone whose work I love(d) reveals themselves to be anti-union, or anti-’woke,’ or some other gear-grinding ugliness. That’s who I wrote ‘You S02’ about, the song’s frenzied guitar and synth solos mirroring the crazymaking intensity wafting off people who act like that. In the TV show You’s second season, the main character moves from New York to LA in hopes of a fresh start, but (spoiler) remains a murdering psychopath. Changing cities won’t make you a hero if you still treat others badly." 

The track can be found on the band's fourth LP (and first new one in five years), Rabbit Rabbit, out now via Wax Nine. The album was co-produced by the band and Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties.

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nour - "wana," a 2023 single on Ra Records

On her debut EP Daydreaming, Egyptian artist Nour shares a sparkling synth-pop, with lyrics in both Arabic and English. 

After discovering fellow Egypt-based producer Kubbara on Instagram, Nour sent him some lyrics and a beat, igniting the creative fires behnd today's Song of the Day. 

The song is about empathy. "It's someone agreeing with the same thing you're going through," she explains in an interview with SceneNoise. "So, if someone says 'wana,' it's like saying: I'm going through the same thing, too, so we're both in the same boat." With that said, she adds that the song can be interpreted in more than one way. "That's what makes it special, in my opinion."

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Tara Clerkin Trio - "The Turning Ground," a 2023 single on World of Echo

On today's hypnotic and dreamy Song of the Day, the Bristol-based band Tara Clerkin Trio draw influence from the dub-step-heavy influences of their backyard (think Portishead and Massive Attack), combined with their own past as the eight-piece psych-folk group the Tara Clerkin Band. (“You could say the Tara Clerkin Trio started mainly because everyone else un-joined the Tara Clerkin Band,” Clerkin tells Loud & Quiet. “A lot of the other members went traveling or had babies, so we’re basically the leftovers.”)

The track will appear on the five-song EP titled On the Turning Ground, out November 3rd via World of Echo, the partner label of the esteemed London record store of the same name. 

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Little Dragon & April + Vista - "Rebels," from the 2023 album Slipping Into Color on Ninja Tune

Grammy-nominated quartet Little Dragon are about to head out on tour with Washington D.C. duo April + VISTA, and what better way to kick off the tour than with a collaborative release? The EP, titled Slipping Into Color, is out now via Ninja Tune Records.

“On a recent trip to the US we got to hang with April + VISTA and we couldn’t resist their sound," Little Dragon explain in a press statement. "This EP represents an intense week of diving deep into the musical universe together with them.”

April + VISTA add, “Working with Little Dragon on this EP was nothing short of a dream. It’s an experience we’ll always cherish.”

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Emi Pop - "Lo Sé," a 2023 self-released single

Now based in Seattle, Emi Pop began her musical journey in her home of Puerto Rico. Following stints in bands like Mely y Los Poppers, and local groups Famous Lizards and 38 Coffin, Emi Pop has ventured out on her own with her debut single "Lo Sé." The track is an irresistible blend of punk and pop, punctuated with some new wave-y keyboards. As she writes on her Instagram, "It was about time I put my music out into the world — this song is just one of many more to come."

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Pachyman - "Trago Coqueto," a 2023 single on ATO Records

L.A.-based artist Pachy García — who records as Pachyman — reflects on his homeland of Puerto Rico on today's Song of the Day.

“It’s like a stream of consciousness,” he tells Remezcla. “I wanted to play with the idea of being a bartender, the profession of getting people drunk, and my constant dilemma about returning home – which I am still not ready to do. It’s about grappling with the emotions of my daily life in a casual yet poetic manner.”

You can find the track on his new LP, Switched-On, which comes out tomorrow, Friday, September 29th, via ATO Records. The album is a dub-filled delight, and was even recorded on the same model of mixing board that Lee “Scratch” Perry used in his Kingston studio. 

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Verito Asprilla  - "Letras Millonarias," a 2023 single on Discos Pacífico

Colombian artist Verito Asprilla arrived on the scene from Tumaco-Nariño at the age of 18, yet possessing a maturity beyond her years on her debut EP Mundo Lila. She writes of women's empowerment, and on today's Song of the Day, she raps, "I'm still poor but my lyrics are millionaire." An inspiring message of self-esteem in any language. 

“It flows to me,” she says in a Google-translated interview with Colombia Visible. She says of the Pacific, "I want people to look here and see that more than violence, there is talent." 

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Luisa Almaguer - "Wey," a 2023 self- released single

It's been four years since we last heard from Luisa Almaguer (check out her previous Song of the Day pick here), and now she's sharing the first single off her forthcoming full-length, titled Weyes, out in 2024. Like her previous work, it's a sultry slice of synth-pop, elevated by her powerful vocals. 

Almaguer has also been keeping busy as the host of the La Hora Trans podcast, and is currently working on a documentary about Mexican folk-rock band Belafonte Sensacional.

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Diego Raposo - "EL UNDERGROUND (feat. mediopicky)" from the 2023 album YO NO ERA ASÍ PERO DE AHORA EN ADELANTE, SÍ on GRAN VAINA

This week's Song of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Albina Cabrera, co-host of El Sonido, in honor of Aquí y Ahora: Without Borders. Join KEXP September 15th to October 15th as we continue amplifying the music, stories, and presence of Latinx, Latine, and Hispanic communities in the United States and the diaspora in our on-air, in-person, and digital world. More info here.

Dominican multi-instrumentalist/producer Diego Raposo teams up with his frequent collaborator Mediopicky for today's Song of the Day. On his debut album, YO NO ERA ASÍ PERO DE AHORA EN ADELANTE, SÍ, Raposo blends electronica and alternative with dembow (a Dominican musical genre that originated in Jamaican dancehall) and other Afro-Caribbean rhythms. 

“We were trying to find something that had its own identity,” he told Rolling Stone.  “I loved the idea of making an album that’s electronic at its core, so the idea was to mix these many influences: Electronic sounds, but also the music I listened to as a kid, with early Daft Punk and Radiohead and My Chemical Romance.”

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Nada Rosa - “Reversal of Fortune" from the 2023 album Nunca Te Olvido on OTHERWORLDS

Based in Seattle, but with roots in the Dominican Republic, Brandi Diaz celebrates her family with her musical project Nada Rosa. As she told KEXP Staff Reporter Martin Douglas back in June, the band name traces back to her beloved abuelito (or "grandmother"), who has passed away: it's a combination of her grandmother's name with the Buddhist concept of non-attachment. “And that’s when I started moving forward with music in a more intentional way,” she explained.

And the title of her debut EP, Nunca Te Olvido, pays tribute to her grandfather, who tells her as much over the phone when he calls. As she says on Bandcamp, the phrase translates to "I never forget you" or "You're always in my heart." 

"This whole project is me learning how to love myself and the power of love between friends, between family,” she tells KEXP.

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Black Pumas - "More Than a Love Song" from the 2023 album Chronicles of a Diamond on ATO

"More than a love song," indeed! The Grammy-nominated Austin, TX-based duo Black Pumas (singer/songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada) return with their sophomore album Chronicles Of A Diamond, out October 27th via ATO. Burton describes today's Song of the Day as “the exclamation point on the initiation of mine and Adrian’s relationship in the first place.”

“That’s what we sound like, together when he is introducing music to me for me to then find the character or the moment to embellish and add colours to that initial canvas,” he told NME. 

He adds in a press release, “’More Than a Love Song’ is a message I borrowed from my Uncle Steve. As a songwriter and caregiver, he’d listen to me write songs from afar and if I were lucky he’d have a pointer or two for me. ‘Life is more than a love song.’”

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Hand Habits - "Something Wrong" from the 2023 album Sugar the Bruise on Fat Possum

Sugar the Bruise, the latest LP from Hand Habits — led by LA-based artist Meg Duffy — was inspired by a songwriting class they taught back in August 2021. "It was both inspiring and terrifying," they shared via a press release. "I hesitated to consider myself a Songwriter, despite having released three records, let alone enough to teach others how to do it my way. In preparing for this course I examined my own approach with a close eye (at times too close for comfort). I realized how vital improvisation and collaboration are to me; in life and in songwriting. I was asked to design writing prompts, and although this was not typically how I would write left to my own devices, I found it to be a wonderful way to get the wheels of inspiration turning. I also cherished how special it was to see all of these other musicians, some new, some contemporaries, rising to the occasion and following themselves into the unknown."

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Sparklehorse - "Evening Star Supercharger” from the 2023 album Bird Machine on ANTI-

Today's Song of the Day is a bittersweet one: the track comes from the posthumous Sparklehorse album Bird Machine, recorded by singer/songwriter Mark Linkous in 2009, but unreleased following his death by suicide in 2010. 

The release was lovingly spearheaded by Mark's brother and his sister-in-law Melissa. “It’s the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Matt says in a press release. “It’s difficult making a choice about someone else’s art, even if you’ve known them all your life and worked with them, even if they were your brother and best friend. We had long conversations about not wanting to take this into a different direction. We wanted to bring out what was there.”

“Mark communicated these songs," Melissa adds. “We just did our best to transmit them.”

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Juan Wauters - “Modus Operandi (feat. Frankie Cosmos)" from the 2023 album Wandering Rebel on Captured Tracks

On today's Song of the Day, Queens-based Uruguay-born artist Juan Wauters casts a critical eye on the New Yorkers who were able to vacate the city during the COVID-19 crisis. Against a melancholy plucked melody and with swelling strings, Wauters sings, "People that have options go back to their suburbs / To them it was just like some kind of Disney World."

“COVID made it clear that some people have it harder than others,” Wauters told the Tucson Weekly. “People that didn’t have an option, they were locked in their apartments. It was right in your face, the inequality of the world, and I commented on that. Sometimes I feel like ‘Modus Operandi’ could come off like I was resentful that everyone left the city, and people that didn’t have an option could not leave. Maybe I was resentful. But also, as I now look back and have a conversation about it, I realize that it’s just an observation of everyday life.”

“Maybe life is supposed to be like that, that some people live more comfortably than others, and some people are supposed to have it harder. But maybe it’s an opportunity to talk about it, and perhaps we can do something that, if COVID hits again, it’s not unfair.”

The track features guest vocals from born-and-bred New Yorker Greta Kline, better known as Frankie Cosmos. In the accompanying music video, she and Wauters wander through NYC and Montevideo, respectively. Director Fatos Marishta shared in a press release, "The idea of 'Modus Operandi' is that even though Juan lives elsewhere now, his essence stays in New York. Sometimes he’s in NY, sometimes he’s not, he can be anywhere. We shot through one week in two different countries with Juan wandering through the streets of Montevideo during the inaugural carnaval parade and Greta in Union Square, NYC. As they are having a conversation about New York City, Greta senses and sees Juan in the vicinity but can’t seem to reach him." 

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Daisies - "Blue Cowboy," from the 2023 album Great Big Open Sky on K Records

On their latest LP, Great Big Open Sky, Olympia, WA-based band Daisies flex their musical muscle, diverging from their previous trip-hop/electro-pop sound into more organic, folkier territory. That said, today's Song of the Day is true to the "electronic paisley underground" sound we've heard them explore over the past seven releases. Vocalist Valerie Warren girlishly coos the story of a "blue cowboy on the range," and the accompanying music video spotlights some stellar moves from Mario. 

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Temple of Angels - "Waving to the Wind" from the 2023 album Endless Pursuit on Run for Cover.

It's no surprise that the gothic dream-pop of Austin, TX-based band Temple Of Angels finds inspirations from actual dreams. Their debut full-length — titled Endless Pursuit, and out now from Run For Cover — reflects both the good and bad subsconscious nighttime reflections.

“Sometimes a beautiful dream will sneak in past the nightmares, which inspire a lot of my writing as well, specifically these dreams I had as a teenager that took place in a past or future life in some kind of parallel universe,” explains honey-voiced frontwoman Bre Morell. “I’ve been thinking about those dreams for 16+ years and they still consume me.” 

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Deeper - "Tele," from the 2023 album Careful! on Sub Pop Records

On today's Song of the Day, Chicago-based quartet Deeper gets vulnerable. The track can be found on their latest album, Careful!, their third full-length overall and first for Sub Pop Records.

“’Tele’ is a song without its shield,” the band said in a press release. “In past Deeper compositions, we would hide behind jerky guitars and abstract vocals telling a story only we could decipher. With ‘Tele’ we wanted to explore the vulnerability behind our music and give focus to the melody and mood of the song. Replacing guitars with synthesizers and drums with samplers we stumbled upon a new way to approach a Deeper song.”

“We wanted to make a darker track that people could dance to,” they continued. “Since the foundation is built on a sampler beat, it’s the kind of song we could’ve only created with the limitations of the pandemic. The electronic components left more space for the rhythm, so our engineer Dave started playing with a busier bass line for the verses and laid down the hook on the first pass. At the end we wanted the synth parts to constantly overtake one another and hopefully make the listener feel like they’re being swallowed into the song.”

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Shamir - "Our Song (clean edit)," from the 2023 album Homo Anxietatem on Kill Rock Stars

Last month, Shamir spoke with KEXP's Sound & Vision about his ninth full-length, Homo Anxietatem, and the anxiety that fueled his latest LP. In the video for today's Song of the Day, the genre-defying artist pays tribute to those who have literally stood by his side throughout it all. 

"It took about three months to write this song, which is the longest it’s ever taken me to write a song," he shares in a press release. "The music video is a love letter to my band. Grant Pavol and Rhea Freed are the only reason I still play live. I wanted the video to focus on the three of us as a band." 

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Fan Girl - "falling (ft Elizabeth M Drummond)," a 2023 single on Mandatory Music

Australian pop-punk outfit Fan Girl returns with another KEXP Song of the Day pick: "falling" featuring guest vocals from Elizabeth M. Drummond. 

“Lyrically, ‘falling’ is about how the honeymoon period in a relationship is just the beginning. While it can be an electric and pleasurably nauseating period, it’s not the best bit, and it’s often not the real bit," the band told Jammer Zine.

"We tracked ‘falling’ at our studio (Taste Police HQ) in Brunswick, Melbourne, feverishly trying to keep the eclectic balance between colour, manic collage, and directness. The amazing Elizabeth M Drummond was kind enough to lend us some vocals, in what became more of a demonic angel choir part. Aaron Cupples [mixing] dealt with the sonic mess and brought it to life with a hot steamy mix. When we were writing and recording ‘falling’, we wanted the verses to be really fun & bouncy, the chorus to be big & crisp like a bullshit FIFA song, and outro to be anthemic but tight.”

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Prometheus Brown - "(East | West) feat. Leua" from the 2023 album Taglagas on Beatrock Music LLC

Seattle's own Prometheus Brown has long been an important voice in local hip-hop, dating back to his days as Geologic in the duo Blue Scholars. As the son of Filipino immigrants, he uses the stage to uplift and empower the Filipino community with his lyrics.

His first ever musical project as a solo artist has been this four-part EP series, named for each of the four seasons, "after the nonliteral corollary translation for the season's word in Tagalog," as he explains. With Tagsibol and Tag-init released in 2019, he's now released Taglagas, or "fall." He adds, the fourth and final Winter EP, Tag-lamig, should be coming out later this year.

Prometheus Brown has also recently joined the KEXP team as a DJ, which you can read more about here. Check out today's Song of the Day below, and revisit his 2022 KEXP in-studio session below that. 

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Black Milk feat. Phonte & Raphael Saadiq - "No Wish," from the 2023 album Everybody Good? on Mass Appeal / Computer Ugly

Detroit-based producer, MC, and musician Black Milk returned with his eighth studio album Everybody Good? this summer, featuring special guests like Mick Jenkins, Karriem Riggins, and Quelle Chris. On today's Song of the Day, North Carolina rapper Phonte delivers a powerful, confessional, and personal guest verse against a track produced by award-winning artist Raphael Saadiq. It's the only song of the new LP that isn't produced or co-produced by Black Milk himself. 

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MMYYKK feat. Ricki Monique - "Bliss" from the 2023 album The Midst of Things on SwayHeavy Records.

On his latest LP, The Midst of Things, Minneapolis-based musician and instrumentalist MMYYKK (pronounced "Mike") reflects on the state of the country today. Today's Song of the Day asks the questions, “Who can I trust in a world of deep fakes? Is there any objective truth in a world with 'alternative facts'? Is there one true reality or is it all subjective?"

"This album is also the culmination of my processing of the trauma and hardship I experienced over the pandemic and civil unrest in Minneapolis over the last few years," he explains on his Bandcamp. "The deep levels of depression that come with living in a black body in this country. The rejection, the anger and frustration, and the fear of having my body destroyed simply for expressing that anger in the presence of the wrong white body."

He adds, "My goal with this album is to provoke conversations and create engagement around these questions and themes. but also to give you something new and inspiring while opening you up to the full spectrum of my sound and voice."

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C.S. Armstrong - "SOUL SURVIVOR (feat. Buddy)" from the 2023 album COME AS YOU ARE on TOP OF THE BOOT RECORDS.

Today's Song off the Day is more than just a song; as C.S. Armstrong writes on social media, "shit really is my life and a proclamation to never stop."

On today's featured track, the Texas-born bluesman teams up with Los Angeles-based rapper Buddy. As Armstrong writes, "I moved to LA in 2015, after living in New York I became more recluse. Wasn’t tryna work with many folks but in my time here I can honestly say @buddy has become one of my fav folks I’ve worked with. Reminds me of a cousin n he always show up for me. You are appreciated man, thank you for your phenomenal contribution to COME AS YOU ARE."

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On her latest EP, California-based artist Dea Galore teams up with L.A. group The Melodiks for a sunny, soulful set of songs. On today's Song of the Day, she invites guest vocalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, who she says has "impacted me and touched my soul since 2009... definitely a pinch-myself experience."

The Flow was recorded in 2021, during the quarantine. "The ffirst timewe all made music together was golden and we were hooked," Galore continues. "We would meet up at what I call 'The Womb' haha because of how cozy it feels in there and how creative we got in there."

She adds, "I hope you feel the genuine creativity and vibe we all experienced while making this project. We are all deep music lovers/ nerds/ fanatics! I’m so grateful for the experience, and I’m so grateful that we can share it with everyone."

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