In Our Headphones

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 AngelouBerlin-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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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!!” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.) Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport 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.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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!” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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!" Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

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." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.