In Our Headphones

Outside - "Then It Hits You," a 2023 single on Dorado Records Limited. "I’ve evolved the mixture of modern and retro," says multi-instrumentalist, writer, and arranger Matt Cooper. "That’s the Outside sound." Cooper began Outside during the '90s London club scene, releasing his 1993 debut album Almost In at the age of 20. Now, 30 years later, he returns with a forthcoming sixth studio album, Almost Out. The album was recording during lockdown from his home studio in west London, and in a press release, he calls it, "a distillation of everything I’ve produced here." Today's Song of the Day gives us an early listen; the track features guest vocals from Danish artist Marie Dahlstrom. "This album is a lot more minimal," he continues. "I used to throw the kitchen sink into each song, and have massive layers. I’ve evolved: I can have fewer instruments, but those instruments speak better because they have room to breathe." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rose City Band - “Chasing Rainbows” from the 2023 album Garden Party on Thrill Jockey. Rose City Band, the brainchild of Ripley Johnson (also of Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo and, with a name like that, was either born to play music or be the keeper of facts that you may, or may not, believe) is due to release their fourth record later this month. Titled Garden Party, the album follows up 2021’s Earth Trip and is said to be, “A celebration of summer and all it brings: communal gatherings, the respites offered by nature, and an appreciation for even the simplest beauty, from 12-foot sunflowers to a contorted carrot planted in the spring.” The record’s lead single and our Song of the Day does not dispute that claim. “Chasing Rainbows,” by name alone, suggests the nostalgic innocence of childhood when one’s summer days might consist of chasing things one cannot capture but deeply believe they can. Led by a rollicking pedal steel by Barry Walker, the song actually tells a story not of childhood but on the road on tour, which can feel like a certain kind of childhood in that your days are filled with car rides and playing music. ”Tour ‘round the world and back,” sings Johnson. “Throw it out and you blaze a path /Wanderin' a dream all our own.” Rose City Band will be chasing rainbows all the way to Seattle on Friday, May 5th to play the Tractor Tavern. Read Martin Douglas’ Throwaway Style piece on Rose City Band and watch Ripley Johnson front a Wooden Shjips KEXP in-studio performance from all the way back in 2013 at the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tanukichan - “Thin Air (feat. Enumclaw)” from the 2023 album GIZMO on Company Records. Last month, San Francisco-based artist Hannah Van Loon, known better as Tanukichan, released her incredible sophomore record GIZMO which widened the depth of the shoegaze-indebted dreampop that she’s been making since 2016. Co-produced by Toro y Moi’s Chaz Bear, who’s been assisting Van Loon since her debut EP Radiolove, GIZMO is a massively textured record that deserves repeat listens. One of the highlights on the record comes from an unexpected but deeply exciting collaboration with one of Seattle’s brightest rising stars, Enumclaw. The band’s frontman Aramis Johnson lends vocals on our fuzz-filled Song of the Day, “Thin Air.” Johnson’s languid, disaffected croons interplay with Van Loon’s ethereal, breathy hums in a way that on paper doesn’t seem like it should work but come together magnificently for a wistful malaise that reads perfectly for this song. "This song is about exes,” explains Van Loon. “Some people that I really cared about but ultimately didn’t want to be with.The sadness I feel when I’m hurting someone, and missing them and knowing you won’t ever have that closeness again. It’s about how important they are and how much they’ve taught me, or helped me, but how I also know that people come and go. The chorus has a double meaning for me where I feel like I can’t prioritize relationships because I need to keep on focusing on myself. The other is feeling like I’m broken and keep ending up with the wrong people, and hurting them." Tanukichan will be playing her first KEXP in-studio session on Monday, April 24th at noon PST. Until then, relive Enumclaw’s KEXP in-studio session, recorded in November 2022, and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Momma – “Bang Bang,” a 2023 single on Polyvinyl. With their latest single "Bang Bang," Brooklyn-based trio Momma set out to write something provocative. “We wanted to write something lyrically different than anything else we’d done," explained band member Allegra Weingarten, "just super literal and crude." Today's Song of the Day came out of a COVID bubble between Weingarten and her bandmate Etta Friedman. "We decided to isolate, get drunk, and write together,” Friedman said in a press release. “Within a night, we had demoed a hot sounding song about great sex.” They sent the demo to their bandmate/bassist/producer Aron Kobayashi Ritch. "He sent us back a new version with a lot of added extra production: drums, bass, synths, acoustic guitar, etc. It felt totally different and fresh," Weingarten says. "The finished song has a lot of classic Momma – heavy guitars and catchy melodies – but packaged in a different form. It feels immediate, like a whole new sound for the band." Read the full story at KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indigo De Souza- “Younger and Dumber” from the 2023 album All of This Will End on Saddle Creek On today's Song of the Day, Asheville, NC-based artist Indigo De Souza reflects on the insecurities of her youth. The track serves as a sneak peek to her forthcoming full-length, All Of This Will End, which will be released April 28th via Saddle Creek. In a press statement, she shares: “Younger and Dumber” is a flood beam of my emotional and spiritual human experience. My growing up defeated by a world brutally littered with trash, violence and grief, and somehow finding beauty, purpose, and boundless love existing in the same place. This song felt really emotionally intense for me when I wrote it. I was sitting in my house and it kind of flowed right to me as if it had already been written by some other force. A lot of the lyrics are a nod to the idea that your experiences make you who you are. I endured some heavy darkness and dysfunction when I was a teenager. But if I hadn’t been through those things, I wouldn’t be who I am now. When you’re young, you don’t know any better, but you learn from your experiences, and then you become somebody who’s been alive and learning. It’s also about how heartbreaking that is; to start as a child with vivid curiosity, innocent imagination and joy, and for the world to end up being kind of brutal to be a part of. This song is a love letter to everyone’s inner child. No one can prepare us for how insane it is to be alive. How many times we will have to rise from the ashes and what courage it will take. De Souza directed the song's accompanying music video, as well as co-designed the costumes alongside her mother. Of the clip, she says: I took psilocybin for the shoot. I have a very specific way of dancing when I’m on mushrooms. The movements feel like electricity rising up from the earth through ancient networks of mycelium. It feels like the trees and plants are moving my body for me and I am just surrendering. It feels so clear to me now more than ever, how important it is to unabashedly embody my truest spirit. Because I am not special, and I’m fleeting, and it feels like it’s my purpose to help mobilize others to come home to themselves. To wake from our societal sleepwalk and consider the importance in creating deep connection within community and relationships. To find a preciousness in the time we have and the earth we’re nourished by. To see nature in all its primordial magic, as something to learn from and grow with. Something to protect. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ven Y Mira - “Padre Nostro” from the 2023 self-released album Parque de Letras. With today's Song of the Day, Mexico-based quartet Ven y Mira shares a sneak peek at their forthcoming debut full-length, Parque de Letras, due for release on April 28th. Expanding on the psych-inspired sounds we heard on last year's EP, Nota Roja, the group takes a harder, punk-influenced approach on today's featured track, crafting a cacophony of fierce percussion punctuated by impassioned vocals. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who Is She? - My My Orca Card a 2023 single on Father/Daughter. Seattle supergroup Who Is She?, made up of Bree McKenna of Tacocat, Robin Edwards AKA Lisa Prank, and Chastity Belt frontwoman Julia Shapiro, have been making sweetly sardonic music since 2017, when they released their debut record Seattle Gossip. After a few years of silence from the trio, the band went from Who Is She? to Where Are They? (Admittedly, busy with their other bands.) But they came back in a big way when they were invited to be the house band for Seattle’s newly established hockey team The Kraken for a weekend and played “My My Orca Card” at “Jeff Bezos’ Climate Pledge Arena.” A reimagining of Le Tigre’s 1999 song “My My Metrocard,” the song takes aim at Amazon’s head honcho and multi-billionaire Bezos. “Oh, no /Jeffrey Bezos /He’s such /A total jerk /Shut down /all the bookstores /Billionaires /Do not work.” They were swiftly fired after one night of playing the song, making it the most punk, anti-establishment music moment to happen in Seattle in far too long. Hear more about the story of how this legendary moment came to be in KEXP’s Dusty Henry’s interview with the band prior to their performance and watch Lisa Prank’s KEXP in-studio session from 2016 at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TV Star - In-Between from the 2023 album Hallucinate Me on Painter Man. Seattle’s TV Star make desert-tinged neo-psych with nods to The Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Formed in 2020, the five-piece features members of Shine, Regional Justice Center, and Advertisement and unveiled their debut EP in February, Hallucinate Me. Our Song of the Day is the rambling “In-Between,” the dreamy guitar-led early single off the record. Ashlyn Nagel’s crystalline vocals cry out with catharsis, “I’m comin clean/ I’m livin free/ The in-between,” about ditching what’s expected in order to become one’s authentic self. She had this to say about the song: “‘In-Between’ is about breaking out of a funk, letting go of the pressure, and living the way you want to. It’s about caring less what others think and making self-fulfilling decisions.” The song comes with a lo-fi fisheye shot video of the band on the road, being themselves. Watch the Nate Kahn-directed video and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DEBBY FRIDAY - "SO HARD TO TELL" from the 2023 album GOOD LUCK on Sub Pop Nigerian-born, Toronto-based artist DEBBY FRIDAY needed some convincing before designating today's Song of the Day as the lead single from her debut album, GOOD LUCK, released just last week via Sub Pop Records. "Every single person that I would play the album to was like, 'This song, this song, this song, this song — this one has to be the first single!'" she told Exclaim!. It's a surprisingly softer side than we saw on DEBBY's 2019 EP DEATH DRIVE, with a graceful co-production from Graham Walsh (METZ, Holy Fuck). “I have a lower register and speak with vocal fry so I don’t know what came over me when I made this track,” she stated in a press release. “I have never in my life sung like this before and I had no idea I could even make these kinds of sounds with my voice. There’s no pitch effects on ‘SO HARD TO TELL,’ it’s all me.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Model/Actriz - Crossing Guard from the 2023 album Dogsbody on True Panther Brooklyn-based band Model/Actriz taps into Greek mythology on today's Song of the Day. The titular "Crossing Guard" is the figure Charon, the ferryman of the dead who transported the ghosts of the dead across the rivers Styx. As the post-punk band explained to Paper Mag, the accompanying music video, directed by Nathan Castiel, captures vocalist/lyricist Cole Haden conveying "the body's fragility and gradual degradation through slow, deliberate movement," via choreography by Alena Henke. The band also cites the track as the "initial creative revelations that guided and buoyed [them] to completing" their debut LP, Dogsbody, released last month via True Panther. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caution - "To Decide" a 2022 single on Hardly Art. Last year, local label Hardly Art Records celebrated its 15th anniversary by releasing 15 new singles from some of their favorite artists. They closed out the series back in December with this release from the duo Caution. Songwriters Cash Langdon and Nora Button formed the pairing in 2019, after departing the DC-based power-pop group Saturday Night. With Langdon relocating to Alabama and Button in Minnesota, they collaborated by sending files back and forth online. For today's Song of the Day, Langdon shares, "The initial demo of ‘To Decide’ was created January 1st of 2022. The cold darkness of Minneapolis winter had pervaded my mood. The lyrics confront an inability to experience meaning and connection as well as a wavering between fear and acceptance of ephemerality." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kassa Overall - John Coltrane (Clifford Jordan Quartet) (feat. Tomoki Sanders & Vitamin D) from the 2023 self-released album Shades 3. The ever-talented jazz musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer Kassa Overall dropped the latest addition to his Shades mixtape series, Shades 3, in February as a sample-heavy remix project that fuses jazz with modern danceable drum machine rhythms in a gonzo approach to the jazz tradition. The Seattle-raised, Brooklyn-based artist has been blowing minds to a wide audience of fervent fans since the release of his acclaimed sophomore record I Think I’m Good in 2020 and this project does not disappoint. Our Song of the Day reimagines the Clifford Jordan Quartet’s 1974 track “John Coltrane” with the help of New York-based multi-instrumentalist Tomoki Sanders on Tenor Sax and Derrick Jabar Brown, better known as Vitamin D, on vocals. “Welcome to the Upside Down” introduces the song before going into a profession for the love of jerk chicken. Over a warbling brass line, manipulated vocals cry out “Black spirit” while Vitamin D spits a verse about Black power and the incredible endurance and accomplishments of Black folks despite the many obstacles thrown at them. Below, watch Kassa Overall’s KEXP in-studio performance from 2020 and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mic Flont & Khingz - Gucci (feat. Larisa Marie, AbJo) from the 2023 album Premium Smoke on OTOW. Earlier this year, Seattle emcees Mic Flont and Khingz teamed up to drop the collaborative LP Premium Smoke via Operation Take Over the World (OTOW), a Seattle-based independent record label and multimedia collective. Our Song of the Day sees local musicians ABJO and Larisa Marie jump to provide production and vocals, respectively. It’s a downtempo slow-burner about feeling “Gucci/ Feelin good” and perfect to bump either when you're in the throes of elation or if you need a little boost to get there. Read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

rum.gold - "Water My Heart (feat. Mereba)" from the 2023 album U Street Anthology on Leola LLC. Brooklyn-based artist rum.gold has been on a creative run since his 2018 debut EP yaRN. He followed with 2019's EP aiMless and the 2021 LP Thicker Than Water, a soulful, confessional full-length that was an introspective examination of upbringing, experience, and identity. His sophomore full-length, U Street Anthology, is right around the corner, but in the meantime, he's shared the slow-groove "Water My Heart." The track teams him up with Los Angeles-based artist Mereba for a delicate, romantic duet. Hear him turn the tides on today's Song of the Day, and catch him on May 4th at Madame Lou's with Seattle's own dsrt flwr opening. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jackie Venson - "Flying #evolution" from the 2023 self-released album Evolution of Joy. When Jackie Venson named her latest LP Evolution of Joy, she meant it in more ways than one. Not only is this a re-working of her 2019 album Joy, but it's also reflective of the evolution she's seen in the music industry since the pandemic struck. “I released more music than I ever have before,” she told Austin Woman. “But that also led to more people discovering me that never had before. Then at the end of that year, I actually landed my first Austin City Limits TV taping, and it was because of all of the buzz that I had garnered. I shifted my whole career to the internet, made more music than I ever have in my life and also got more exposure than I ever have in my life. No label helps me get that exposure; all I did for that exposure was frequency.” With Evolution of Joy, she continues, "everything is beefier. Everything’s bigger. Everything is more consistent. Everything is better put together, more organized, and the skills are better. The techniques are all there presented. I’m excited about having Evolution of Joy as a foundation for who I am now [and] releasing more projects under that foundation.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taylar Elizza Beth & WD4D - "THE BEAST / DAY 117" from the 2023 self-released album UNDERCOVER LOVERGIRL. On her new album UNDERCOVER LOVERGIRL, Seattle-based rapper Taylar Elizza Beth [aka Taylar White] reunites with producer and DJ WD4D (Blue Scholars, Abyssinian Creole, Common Market). The pair previously worked together on last year's EP, NINETY THREE. “I want to have more say in what my sound sounds like — and so meeting up with WD4D and figuring out that we have a really great artistic chemistry, it was really serendipitous,” she told the South Seattle Emerald. And on this release, White gets her first producing credit. On her Bandcamp, she writes that UNDERCOVER LOVERGIRL “is for anyone who has an abundance of love to give, but hasn't always felt safe giving it. It's for people who have had to grow hardened, to protect themselves, to survive. It's for the romantics, the dreamers, the people who even after all the bullshit still know that love is real — because they are full of it.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lalalar - Yalniz Olu Baliklar Akintiyi Takip Eder from the 2022 album Bi Cinnete Bakar on Bongo Joe Switzerland. Lalalar are currently Turkey’s buzziest band and for good reason. The trio’s fusion of 70’s Anatolian rock and 80’s dark wave with a punk attitude make for an intoxicatingly fierce and innovative sound. While the band has only been around since 2018, Ali Güçlü Şimşek, Barlas Tan Özemek and Kaan Düzarat are established members of the Istanbul music scene so it was an almost-inevitable meeting of minds and an exciting one for those familiar with their prior work. Last year they released their debut album Bi Cinnete Bakar, a 70-minute epic journey of head-bopping soundscapes. Our Song of the Day “Yalniz Olu Baliklar Akintiyi Takip Eder” was originally released in 2019 on the split 7” Isyanlar. One of the most psych-infused tracks on the record, the band amps the fuzz up to 11 with an explosive meandering guitar line that cools to let Şimşek recite his spoken word lyrics only to burst again when he steps off the mic. It’s a dynamic thrill ride that’s only a small portion of what Lalalar excels at. To get a taste of Lalalar’s riveting live shows, watch a performance of Bi Cinette Bakar opening track "Isyanlar" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ill Considered - Dawn Lit Metropolis from the 2020 album Band Selects on Ill Considered / New Soil. Ill Considered are a UK-based improvisational jazz outfit that’s become a cult favorite after releasing nine albums between 2017-2019 of deep grooves made up completely on the spot. Led by Idris Rahman on sax, Leon Brichard on bass, Emre Ramazanoglu on drums, and Yahael Camara-Onono on percussion, the group’s recordings sound so tight it’s tough to believe that they weren’t written and rehearsed prior but that’s part of the magic of Ill Considered. We’re taking it back to the beginning for our Song of the Day with “Dawn Lit Metropolis,” originally released on their 2017 self-titled record. The opening track off the LP, the song softly saunters in with a mischievously plucked upright bassline and a lone mournful brass. Frantic yet delicately pattered drums join in as the song builds over the course of its four-and-a-half-minute running time (a rather brief track for this group). It’s proof that sometimes less is more, with just bass, brass, and drums carrying the song its entire length, and can be just as - if not more- compelling a listen. Watch the video for "Dawn Lit Metropolis" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Area - "Esto me pertenece" from the 2022 album Esto me pertenece on Humo Internacional & BFE Records. Barcelona-based duo Dame Area deliver their most dance-oriented release to date with Esto me pertenece. The post-industrial twosome of Silvia Konstance Costan and Victor Hurtado met in 2014 via Màgia Roja, a cultural center and record label. Combining their loves of krautrock, industrial, and black metal, they released their first single by the end of 2015. On today's Song of the Day, they bring these influences to the floor, punctuated by Silvia's vocalizations and a relentless rhythm. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inês Malheiro - "Overflowing" from the 2022 album Deusa N​á​usea on Lovers & Lollypops / Inês Malheiro. The debut album from Portuguese artist Inês Malheiro went through a few iterations before finally landing at Deusa N​áusea, released late last year. The songs evolved throughout the lockdown, "polarized, reversed, perplexed, epithelialized by espectral processes and beleza pura," as it states on her Bandcamp. “The album was not all made at the same time, it went through several stages and I would say that this is reflected in the lyrics as well," she told the culture website A Cabine. “I think that on this record I felt that the lyrics were more of a plastic material to guide the voice than an objective source of meaning." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grove - "Feed My Desire" a 2022 single on Memorials of Distinction x Grove. Bristol-based artist Grove returns with a pulsating, gritty dancehall track, expanding on the club-inspired sound introduced on their 2021 debut release QUEER + BLACK. Today's Song of the Day finds Grove teaming up with fellow Bristol producer Kursa, as well as their partner EJ:AKIN. “After getting this beautifully dark, skippy UKG beat through from Kursa and making my own additions – the concept and lyrics spilled straight out of my mind," she shares in a press release. "It's born out of sweaty and interlocked nights, with the rises and rests of intensity that entails. It's passionate, cheeky and queer through and through." "My partner (both romantically and on-stage), EJ:AKIN, also wrote the gnarly synth part that comes in. They're a bass demon and they're amazing. Definitely my most collaborative release to date with Kursa, EJ, and I all on the making, and I'm so happy about it :-)" Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cherry Ferrari - Call Me Up a 2023 self-released single. Cherry Ferrari is the project of teenagers Emma Wang and Oliver Crosby. While they’ve been in existence for roughly a year and currently have just two singles in their discography, those pair of songs are exciting enough to warrant paying attention to the young Seattle band. And people certainly have, if their slots on beloved local stages like the Crocodile and Barboza are any proof. Our Song of the Day, “Call Me Up,” is a slinky funk track with an infectious hook that’s impossible to not sway your hips to. Taking inspiration from disco funk greats and modern pop, Cherry Ferrari have a retro-futuristic sound that’s fresh, fun, and groovy. Cherry Ferrari will be competing in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! They’ll be performing on Saturday, March 11th alongside other up-and-coming local artists Stargazy Pie, Fight Milk, and Sadie Hale. Watch a snippet of a self-made video for “Call Me Up” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JusMoni & Nappy Nina - Henny Lavender a 2023 self-released single. If you feel like you just saw a Song of the Day feature from Seattle-based singer/songwriter JusMoni and Oakland-born/Brooklyn-based emcee Nappy Nina, it’s because you did. Earlier this week, we shared the song “Prayer Hands” off Nappy Nina’s latest album Morning Due and today we’re sharing another collaboration between the two artists, “Henny Lavender.” Released in February alongside the drop of an exclusive candle and clothing collab with the fashion retailer and creative agency Paradice Avenue Souf, the song is dripping with erotic sensuality. While “Prayer Hands” leaned on Nappy Nina’s dexterous rhymes with JusMoni adding gorgeous vocal flourishes, “Henny Lavender” is a true collaboration. Backed by a sexy synth slow jam beat produced by 104Rog, JusMoni coos while Nappy Nina flows about their belief in love and desire for the carnal aspects of it. Watch JusMoni’s KEXP in-studio performance from 2018 and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rahill - "I Smile for E" from the 2023 album Flowers At Your Feet on Big Dada. With today's Song of the Day, Iranian-American artist Rahill shares a sneak peek at her forthcoming debut album, Flowers At Your Feet, out May 12th via Ninja Tune imprint Big Dada. The track is a tribute to her late Aunt Elaheh. As Rahill writes on Instagram, "The rock of my fathers family. A beloved mother, daughter, sister, and wife. I wrote this song to celebrate and honor her, because the love shared and connection I still feel to her outshine the devastation of her departure from the physical realm. She’s still with me. May this song be a gentle reminder to anyone walking with that pain and grief." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nappy Nina - "Prayer Posture (feat. JusMoni)" from the 2023 album Mourning Due on LucidHaus. On her latest LP Mourning Due, Nappy Nina, as she puts it, "considers grief a currency and questions who is owed what." The Oakland-born/Brooklyn-based artist delivers vulnerable lyrics in her distinctive rapid-fire style, like a conversation with a friend who's had too many cups of coffee. Mourning Due features a plethora of guests, including Moor Mother, Mavi, lojii, maassai, Cavalier, Stas Thee Boss, and on today's Song of the Day, JusMoni. The track is produced by Nina's frequent collaborator, Nelson Bandela. "Prayer Posture" explores the uncertainty of life. As Nina raps "Shit won't last on some quarter notes / I may laugh but I'm hoarding hope and reading my homies' horoscopes," JusMoni coos in a following line, "I feel like the worlds on fire / none of us know how to swim." It's a relatable emotion, that resonates throughout the whole reflective album. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lavarr the Starr & Shabazz Palaces - "Glass Top Roof (The One)" from the 2023 album Illusions Ago on Glass Cane Records. Like many of Ishmael Butler's projects, this collaboration between Lavarr the Starr & Shabazz Palaces is shrouded in mystery. Their Bandcamp tells us they're based in Lagos, Nigeria, and that today's Song of the Day features "Lavarr sings of blissing, riding around with 🧁 sun roof peeled tunes floating cuz Love Ain't Dead." Luxuriate in a backyard hang with the track's accompanying video, directed by Natalie Worgs for gIRLS aBOUT pECKHAM productions. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zari Alexandria - (Gotta Get) Over You from the 2022 self-released Congratulations, I'm Angry EP. 19-year-old Zari Alexandria has been honing her vocal abilities since childhood, performing in choir and musical theater and delving into songwriting at fourteen. After spending the past five years sharpening her skills and finding her sound, she released her debut EP Congratulations, I’m Angry in 2021. Made up of six tracks of emotionally-charged R&B/pop tracks, it’s an excellent introduction to an artist determined to climb her way to the top. Our Song of the Day is the EP’s lead single “(Gotta Get) Over You,” a heartbreak banger led by a synth piano line and a softly driving electronic drum beat. In it, Alexandria relays an all-too-familiar story for many of a romantic partner stringing her along and the final realization that she’s just gotta get over them because “You make me feel bad.” Alexandria will be competing in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! She’ll be performing on Saturday, March 4th alongside other up-and-coming local artists Midpak, Podesta, and Wyatt Silva. Watch the official video for the Congratulations, I’m Angry track “Be Gone” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yves Tumor - Echolalia from the 2023 album Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) on Warp. Genre-bending visionary Yves Tumor is set to release their fourth full-length Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) on March 17th and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. After breaking through in a big way with their acclaimed 2020 record Heaven To A Tortured Mind, Tumor has been proving their rock god excellence through their expertly crafted blend of rock, psychedelia, R&B, and electronica as well as their larger-than-life androgynous stage persona. The second single off the album, released in February, is our Song of the Day “Echolalia.” Led by syncopated drumming and a buzzing guitar riff, the song churns with momentum as Tumor sings of an all-consuming kind of love to a person referred to as “God” and the madness a love like this provokes. Meanwhile, the spoken-word interlude advises against this. “If you say you love me and you, like, your happiness only depends on me, it might not be true love. Maybe it's something you need and you want, but you think it's love, it's not love.” The song comes with a striking video directed by Jordan Hemmingway which leans on a Gulliver’s Travels-type theme, with a team of tiny Tumors taking down one giant one. Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) is produced by Noah Goldstein (Frank Ocean, Rosalía, Drake, Rihanna, Bon Iver), and mixed by Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, Nine Inch Nails). It also features contributions from Chris Greatti (Yungblud, WILLOW), Yves Rothman (Girlpool, Amaarae) and Rhys Hastings. Watch the video for “Echolalia” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Petite Noir - "Simple Things (feat. Theo Croker)" from the 2023 album MotherFather on Roya. Petite Noir (real name: Yannick Ilunga) shares a message of empowerment on today's Song of the Day. “’Simple Things’ is about taking back your power,” the Congolese artist states in a press release. “It’s a song for the people, to embrace harmony, reject division, and recognise that freedom comes from within.” The track features trumpet from Grammy-nominated, Floridian jazz musician Theo Croker, and will appear on his forthcoming sophomore LP MotherFather, out April 14th via Roya Records. It'll be his first new release since 2018's mini-album La Maison Noir / The Black House, and his 2020 singles “Alive” and “Through the Bad Times.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

M83 - "Amnesia" from the 2023 album Fantasy on Mute. Earlier this month, M83 shared six songs from their forthcoming ninth LP Fantasy, due out March 17th via Mute. In a press release, primary songwriter/frontman Anthony Gonzalez claims it'll be his most intimate release yet. "I wanted to be more present lyrically and vocally even if that was daunting at first. I thought if I could achieve that, this album will be more personal than those that came before.” He adds, “I wanted this record to be very impactful live. The idea was to come back with something closer to the energy of [his 2005 album] Before the Dawn Heals Us. The combination of guitars and synths is always in my music, but it’s maybe more present on this new record than on the previous ones.” You can experience the impact yourself when M83 stops in Seattle for two dates at Showbox SoDo on May 10th and 11th. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June McDoom - "On My Way" from the 2022 June McDoom EP on Temporary Residence Ltd. Singer/songwriter June McDoom taps into her family history for her music: her parents relocated from Jamaica to New York City in the 1970s. As an adult, she began listening to folk artists from that era, like Joan Baez and Judee Sill, vintage soul from The Delfonics and The Supremes, and reggae artists her family listened to, like Alton Ellis and Phyllis Dillo. On her self-titled debut EP, she infuses these influences through a mix of analog and digital recording techniques. “‘On My Way’ is about making my way through life while sharing it with another person," she told Beats Per Minute. "About how grounding and scary it can be to share a life with someone, while both working to fulfill life’s passions and dreams. Living in NYC always feels like a journey just getting from one place to another and life can feel just the same.” "I recorded several versions of this song, with earlier versions at a slower tempo. Then one day I had an idea to try recording it one more time from scratch a little faster, after continually feeling like it needed something more/dragged a bit and it ended up fitting a lot better so we followed through with that final arrangement. With the tempo change of the final version, I wanted to also texturally mirror the message of traveling and working towards a destination with low and high moments." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pilot Seat - Spinning Circles a 2022 self-released single. The Shoreline, WA-based band Pilot Seat only just started playing together in 2021 and released their first three singles in 2022 but have already made a name for themselves locally with a strong legion of loyal fans huddled closely to the stages they’ve played. The video for their second single “A Place Like Nowhere Else” has already racked up 2.7k views in the five months since its release which is nothing to scoff at for a band just at its beginning. Our Song of the Day, “Spinning Circles,” is their third and latest release and shows the band at their dreamiest. The song starts with a jangly guitar melody and softly cooed lyrics about the anxieties that plague the mind late at night with the song building and bursting with cathartic release, mimicking the moments of letting go. Pilot Seat will be competing in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! They’ll be performing on Saturday, February 25th alongside other up-and-coming local artists King Zaae, defsharp, and lavenderhayez. Watch the official video for “A Place Like Nowhere Else,” directed by Quang Nguyen, and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spirit Award - Pushing Forward from the 2023 album The Fear on Share It Music. Seattle’s Spirit Award, the project of Daniel Lyon and currently with Chris Jordan of Sunny Day Real Estate on bass, has been fine-tuning his brand of doom-filled psychedelic indie for over seven years now, with his upcoming fourth studio album The Fear destined to be one of his best. While they may only have one single out, it’s an incredibly strong one and shows that Spirit Award are only getting better. “Pushing Forward” is a psychedelic journey into the recesses of the mind that technically refers to drugs but can be taken to a larger level. Unlike the long journey that drugs often take a mind through, the song breezes by with its layers of dreamy guitar play. While the song specifically references the paranoia post-drugs that requires one to either succumb to the fear or push forward through it, it has deeper layers for Lyon. “This idea for this song came about at a time of growth and realization, during some sleepless nights,” explains Lyon. “I had so many things getting thrown my way throughout my musical career; Vans getting broken into, gear stolen, rehearsal space getting robbed, identity getting stolen, van getting stolen, health problems, and most of all financial problems. The worst of all these has been a post-pandemic landscape which has changed how bands tour and put out music and try to make a living doing so. This has not only affected musicians but also music venues. Throughout all this, as a person and as a musician, I have always tried to keep ‘pushing forward’. So this song became a motivation to do so and sort of a rallying cry for our music community. I am thankful to have had the support of MusiCares and friends that helped me through a journey of growth and discovery. And knowing that no matter how low things get, there is hope.” The Fear is out May 19th via Share It Music. The video for “Pushing Forward” sees Lyon traverse a wild night helmed by some mystically masked characters and is directed by Seattle’s Eric Luck. Watch it and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thrillhouse - "Fatal Flaw," a 2022 self-released single. Brighton duo Thrillhouse channel the '80s (Echo & the Bunnymen, in particular) on their latest single, "Fatal Flaw." ("Hopefully it’s not toooo similar. Eek," they joked to Analogue Trash.) "We’ve never really settled on a sound," they continued. "Will probably be the cause of our eventual demise down the road. But it’s nice to write different types of songs otherwise the whole thing gets a bit stale, I think." With today's Song of the Day, Thrillhouse pens an ode to supportive friends. "It’s kinda like a love letter to people that stick by you when you’re having a crap time. So, more of a thanks to the people in my life that have been nice, rather than a particular moment." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screaming Females - "Brass Bell" from the 2023 album Desire Pathway on Don Giovanni Jersey trio Screaming Females continue to pave their own punk-rock path on their latest LP Desire Pathway, out now via Don Giovanni Records. Vocalist/guitarist Marissa Paternoster speaks to the album title, sharing, "Maybe there was one in your neighborhood growing up, a corner where everyone decided it took too long to go around, so they made their own pathway to cut through. There’s this cool unsaid group consciousness that comes together where everyone decides, this is the right way to go." With today's Song of the Day, she reflects on sacrifice, stating, "'Brass Bell’ is a song about surrendering your autonomy to something so overwhelmingly powerful you willingly relinquish your ambitions and self-worth. My intention was to draw an interesting dichotomy between the muscular nature of the song and the rather bleak, worried lyrics.” Screaming Females will be playing in Seattle on Wednesday, April 12th at Madame Lou's with Smirk and Generacion Suicida. More dates on their website here. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eyelids - "Colossal Waste of Light" from the 2023 album A Colossal Waste of Light on Jealous Butcher. Portland supergroup Eyelids have gotten even more powerful on their fourth LP, A Colossal Waste of Light, which will be released on March 10 via Jealous Butcher Records. Songwriters John Moen (of The Decemberists) and Chris Slusarenko (formerly of Guided by Voices) are now joined by Victor Krummenacher (of Camper Van Beethoven) alongside existing members Jonathan Drews (guitar) and Paulie Pulvirenti (drums). Their latest album is produced by R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, also a guest musician on the release. He'll be accompanying the band on March 11th when Eyelids plays the Sunset Tavern in Seattle. Today's Song of the Day was released with a video from their longtime director John Clark; the band members are captured in papier-mâché, using figurines made by Scottish artist Jo Hamilton and bodies built by multi-talent Moen. "We still have that Little Rascals 'let's put on a show' with every Eyelids video," the band state on their website. "This one might take the cake, though. It's beautiful and ridiculous in equal measure." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Zaae - Someplace Somewhere a 2022 self-released single. Seattle-based artist King Zaae may be young at only 17 but he already has a widespread discography of genre-fluid sounds in the six years he’s been making music when he started fiddling with making music on his iPhone at eleven years old. Since 2021, though, his music has really started to take shape, refining his production techniques for a fully formed yet ever-changing musical identity. His earlier mixtapes like I Hate This Town and debut album Being Sad is a Cliché saw King Zaae lean into the emo influences he gleamed from his auntie like My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights, and American Football. In recent singles (of which he’s released over a dozen since the start of 2022), he’s explored everything from R&B and funk to hyper-pop. Our Song of the Day, “Someplace Somewhere,” is a softly-strummed R&B ballad that leans on King Zaae’s smooth vocals while a warbling synth and a hypnotic electric guitar melody keep meter. The main element of emo - longing - is still present but in a more Frank Ocean than Gerard Way manner. King Zaae will compete in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! He’ll perform on Saturday, February 25th alongside other up-and-coming local artists Pilot Seat, defsharp, and lavenderhayez. Watch the official video for “Being Sad Is a Cliche” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oddisee - Try Again from the 2023 album To What End on Outer Note Label. In January, rapper/producer Oddisee dropped his twelfth studio album, To What End, which explores human ambition, posing the question: “How far are you willing to go, and why?” This idea is expressed in our Song of the Day and early single “Try Again.” Backed by a funky groove, the DC-based emcee waxes about growing from the trials and tribulations he previously endured. "Couple wins, couple L’s / Took a hit but I prevailed/ Now I got the gist on how to flip it when I fail." Synth keys, rapid-firing drums, and a luscious guitar lick round out the infectious dance jam as Oddisee encourages listeners to not let their losses define them, proclaiming "All this time you spent / All that love you gave/ Please don’t walk away / Try again.” Watch Oddisee’s stirring Live from KEXP at Home performance and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad - "Fire In Detroit", a 2023 single on Jazz Is Dead. Launched in 2020, the Jazz is Dead series is an ongoing series from producers Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, aiming to elevate some legends of the genre with original collaborations. For the latest edition, the guys team up with trombonist Phil Ranelin and saxophonist Wendell Harrison, founders of the '70s Detroit-based label and collective, Tribe Records. Tribe Records was more than just an independent record label; it was a community-run organization that tackled all aspects of an album release, including promotion, distribution, and publishing. Their message was "music is the healing force of the universe," and it's a motto that Jazz is Dead keeps alive with their own releases. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ivy Sole - "Don't Hide (feat. Kingsley Ibeneche)" a 2023 single on Ivy Sole LLC / Venice Music Candid, the latest album from Philly-based Pan-Africanist artist Ivy Sole, is presented as triptych, inspired by her parents' love story and how it shaped her own views on relationships. As she told Metal Magazine, "How the story unfolds in this album is not identical to how it transpired in the lives of my parents, or even in my life, but this much is true – Candid helped me love myself and love my family in ways I could never have imagined and confirmed that our enemy is not each other but the world we live in. How could I not talk about that when the world has only gotten more deadly for all of us?" Today's Song of the Day finds Sole reuniting with previous collaborator Kingsley Ibeneche, a singer/songwriter/dancer in his own right. Watch them perform in the music video below, directed by Sole and filmed by Wren Rene. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

C.S. Armstrong - "MA EMILY (feat. Rapsody)" from the 2022 self-released album THE MAKINGS OF ME. During the three years of lockdown, Houston, Texas-based artist C.S. Armstrong didn't release any original music. But the period gave him time to reflect. "The pandemic allowed me to sit with myself" he continues. "God told me to began producing, with not much knowledge I started to learn how to produce. I used God and my ears, I followed both until I reached this project that I’m so happy to finally give you." THE MAKINGS OF ME was produced by Armstrong with additional production by Miles James. The eight-song EP ranges from hip-hop to blues and gospel. As Armstrong calls it, it's a "journey through the things that made me who I am today." Today's Song of the Day is one of the most personal songs on the new release, inspired by his great-great-grandmother, Ma Emily. (In fact, the album cover photo was taken at her home.) Armstrong talked to our own DJ Gabriel Teodros about the song's origins: The song came about through a conversation with my mom actually. I was just asking about the history of my family and she talked about Ma Emily and that was her great-grandmother. She was just telling me her experiences with her and I took that conversation and really, I wanted to dive into, you know, generational curses that we all trying to break. And it came out literally — I didn't write anything — everything really just came out natural. So, for you to be highlighting such a personal song, it truly means a lot to me. Also, I sent it to [guest vocalist] Rapsody and I've been working with Rapsody since about 2012, and you know, she's always been supportive. When she sent her verse back, I literally, you know, fell to tears, man, because it's amazing not to have to explain too much to people. We did that through text, you know, I texted her. We weren't in the same room. I sent it to her and she sent it back in a matter of days and it gave me chills, man. So, shout out to Rapsody for delivering such a phenomenal verse. I think one of my favorite verses of last year. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fight Milk - ICU from the 2022 self-released Fight Milk EP. Fight Milk is the project of Redmond, Washington-based project of Jackson Leavitt, who has been releasing singles and EPs since 2019 under the name. Influenced highly by campy ‘80’s new wave bands like Devo, Fight Milk’s shows are a multi-disciplinary audiovisual experience made to entertain. Our Song of the Day, “ICU,” comes off of 2022’s self-titled EP and is a high-energy bop led by tapping synth rhythms and a scorching guitar melody, with Leavitt fusing very real and vulnerable feelings of longing with silly voices and lines that brings to life the absurdity that is longing. “I wanna see you so bad, it hurts me all of the time /It's like when you cut your thumb, and then you heal it with lime,” sings Leavitt like a long-forgotten Hawthorne Heights track before following with a bridge of, “Romp around the rink, romp around the rink /Where do you think /Romp around the rink, romp around the rink /Star on the sink.” Fight Milk will be competing in this year’s Sound Off!, a showcase for young artists in the surrounding Seattle area that has helped prior artists like Falon Sierra, Jason McCue, Naked Giants, Manatee Commune, Maiah Manser, and more gain a platform and industry education to bring their music to the mainstream. Watch the video for other Fight Milk track “Grenge” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Avalanche Kaito - Dabalomuni from the 2022 Dabalomuni EP on Glitterbeat Records. Avalanche Kaito is as their name suggests, an avalanche of disparate sounds, ideas, and ancestral odes. Made up of Burkinabe griot singer and multi-instrumentalist Kaito Winse and Brussels noise punk musicians Benjamin Chaval (drums, electronics) and Nico Glitter (guitar), the trio fuse West African oral traditions with pummeling post-punk for a sound so unique it defies categorization. Our Song of the Day, “Dabalomuni,” comes from the three-song EP of the same name, released in early 2022 and catapulting them into the European festival circuit, the international consciousness, and even the Grammys stage. The song is ferocious, with super-charged, sinewy post-punk rhythms backing a myriad of tribal instrumentation, glitchy electronic flourishes, and Winse’s powerful, bellowing recitations for a hypnotic experience that makes one ask, “What the hell just happened?” Watch a mesmerizing live performance of the song and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tautumeitas - "Spodrē Manu Augumiņu" from the 2022 self-released album Skrejceļš. Latvian ensemble Tautumeitas take traditional folk songs and folklore from their homeland and update them with modern beats and production. Their latest album, Skrejceļš, was crafted with their long-time producer Reini Sējanus, as well as Swedish producer Povel Olsson. Today's Song of the Day is a celebration of the winter solstice, as captured in the accompanying video, directed by Dārta Apsīte. The clip was filmed in early November on the coast of Vidzeme, using light installations to convey how "in ancient traditions, through disguise and rituals, people became brighter and stronger." In the same press release, percussionist/vocalist Aurēlija Rancāne explains the masks worn: “Masks are made of various plants and cereals found in Latvian nature, as well as components of electrical appliances that no longer function in everyday life. This is a direct reference to tradition, because in the past, masks were used to integrate objects and clothes that are no longer used in everyday life." Watch below. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jembaa Groove - "Bassa Bassa" from the 2022 album Susuma on Agogo Records. The word “Jembaa” translates to “life,” and a "groove in life" is what Berlin-based Afro-Soul band Jembaa Groove aims to inspire with their music. Bassist/composer Yannick Nolting and vocalist/percussionist Eric Owusu happened to meet in late 2020 when they were each picking up their sons from kindergarten. Before too long, they'd assembled a seven-piece band to meld influences from traditional West African styles (like Highlife, Adowa, and Wassoulou) with ‘60s and ‘70s soul music. In a press statement, the band explained they wrote today's Song of the Day "to motivate people." They continue, "It’s an energy and it’s for people who are looking to make a vibe, especially the new generation. It’s for those people who are fed up with the mess that is everywhere at the moment." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Noah Coinflip - Journey (feat. Porsche) from the 2022 self-released album God Is Love. Seattle-via-Alabama producer Noah Coinflip released his latest album God Is Love back in November. According to Bandcamp, the album is “an exploration of themes related to finding a transformative higher power through compassion and community” as well as “an exploration of the mystery behind the higher power” and “a prayer of surrender.” That’s expressed most clearly in our Song of the Day “Journey.” One of the few tracks on the vibey instrumental record with vocals, Coinflip, who is also a member of the jazz fusion band Animal Face and engineer at South Seattle studio Mead St., lays down a swirling beat chock full of ripping electric guitars and glitchy flourishes, anchored by a smooth and sexy synth melody. Over it, Porsche articulates through spoken word the power of inner purpose, perseverance, and love. Watch Noah Coinflip wield magic in a live video and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christine and the Queens - la clairefontaine from the 2022 album Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) on Because Music. In November, Christine and the Queens dropped their latest album Redcar les adorables étoiles which also unveiled a new persona for frontperson Chris, Redcar (he/him). The record follows the 2020 EP La vita nuova and his sophomore album, Chris, released in September 2018. One of the lead singles and standout songs of Redcar les adorables étoiles is “la clairefontaine,” a mesmerizing and ethereal track that showcases Chris' unique blend of nostalgic synthpop and modern electronic music. With its hypnotic pace and twinkling synths, the song transports listeners to a dreamlike world where the starry night sky speaks through Chris' pristine vocals. As the track slowly unfolds, its soft percussion and intricately layered production reveal a soundscape that is both nostalgic and contemporary. This standout track from Chris' third studio album, Redcar les adorables étoiles, is a testament to the musician's artistry and showcases their ability to create music that is both captivating and timeless. Watch Christine and the Queens’ 2020 Live on KEXP at Home performance and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fievel Is Glauque - "My Rebel" from the 2022 album Flaming Swords on MATH Interactive. Taking their name from a diss on a 1986 cartoon character, Belgium-based vocalist Ma Clément and NY producer/musician Zach Phillips comprise the duo that is Fievel Is Glauque. ("Fievel" is a mouse who stars in the animated An American Tail film series; the internet says "glauque" translates from French to "sinister, ominous, worrying.") The jazzy-pop of their 2021 debut cassette God’s Trashmen Sent To Right The Mess landed them an opening slot on Stereolab's recent North American tour, but their first proper LP — Flaming Swords, released back in November — adds a sheen to their prog-punk-jazz sound. The album was recorded live, in its entirety, during an evening in Brussels, August 2021. “Musically, Ma directed melodic impetus and I directed harmonic and rhythmic framing,” Phillips said in a press release. “Lyrically, we fought and embraced our initial impulses alternatingly; above all, we tried to trust and document the psychodynamics of the process itself rather than attempting to express concrete, prefab emotional or intellectual messaging. This approach to writing is intended to promote poetry while avoiding alibis and the hall-of-mirrors reproduction of excessive self-identification.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MIKE - Stop Worry! (feat. Sister Nancy) from the 2022 album Beware of the Monkey on 10k London-via-the-Bronx artist Michael Jordan Bonema (better known as MIKE to us) has recruited the legendary Sister Nancy to help out on today's Song of the Day. Sister Nancy is the first ever female dancehall DJ, and her repeated refrain to "wake up" helps elevate this laid-back, synthesizer-laden song. The track can be found on his latest full-length Beware of the Monkey, titled after some advice he found in his Chinese horoscope. Like on previous releases, the new album honors the memory of his mother. The video, directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa, is dedicated to her, and the single was released on what would've been his mother's birthday. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.