In Our Headphones

Nonbinary Girlfriend - "BIG AND KIND" from the 2023 self-released album BIG AND KIND On today's Song of the Day, Portland pop-punk band Nonbinary Girlfriend champions the philosophy that being "kind is not the same as being small" and "sometimes, many times, kindness requires you to be big and tall." It's a spirit of compassion that carries through their debut full-length, also titled BIG AND KIND, that came out back in February. Vocalist Anaïs Genevieve shares vulnerable lyrics around gender and sexuality, inviting the listener to feel less alone. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day Soul Exquisite - clair des antilles a 2023 single on La fem records. While the pandemic was obviously a long and fraught-filled time, the bands formed and sowing their seeds during the first two most difficult years are now blossoming. Seattle-based sextet Day Soul Exquisite are one of those bands. Fronted by singer Francesca Eluhu, the group makes Latin American and French Caribbean-fused neo-soul that fits into a variety of arenas, all of which make you want to shimmy. While they've only released a string of singles since their 2021 formation, they've been mesmerizing audiences on stages and at festivals like Capitol Hill Block Party, Folklife, Barboza, The Sunset Tavern, So Dreamy Festival and more.like Our Song of the Day is the early 2023 single, “clair des antilles,” which starts with a French spoken-word introduction and bursts into a dynamic jazzy production that’s a wistful ode to the French Caribbean. Eluhu describes the meaning behind the song as this: “My family is from Guadeloupe and I wrote these lyrics while reflecting on how leaning into nature can cleanse the mind of colonial rhetoric disguised as intrusive thoughts. The second verse acknowledges imperialism and calls for a redistribution of wealth: “Hear what they call me? Savage like a pirate…let me follow my instincts and I’ll take back a piece of what the white man stole baby.” Bob Marley’s lyrics, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds,” is one direct influence that summarizes the message of self love in the song.” Catch Day Soul Exquisite at Timber Fest on Friday, July 28, get a sneak peek at their live stage show with a VHS-style recording of their performance at 2022’s So Dreamy Festival, and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Witch Prophet - Memory from the 2023 album Gateway Experience from Heart Lake Records. Toronto-based neo-soul artist Ayo Leilani aka Witch Prophet recently unveiled her third studio album, Gateway Experience, which delved into her personal experience with focal aware seizures, sometimes known as Déjà vu or Déjà reve. They’re out-of-body experiences that include lucid dreaming and memory loss. “If I came out with an album like this five years ago, it would probably be a little too witchy,” says the former Polaris-shortlisted artist. “Now it’s a lot less scary to talk about.” Our Song of the Day, “Memory,” deals directly with the memory loss aspect of her unique condition. “I’m at a loss for words /Can’t remember the last time /I’ve been here /Yeah my memory keeps fading fast /Trying to hold on to the bit I have,” croons Leilani over a downtempo R&B beat. She receives backup from another shining Canadian artist, Begonia, who was nominated for a JUNO Award for Adult Alternative Album Of The Year for her critically acclaimed 2017 EP Lady In Mind and was shortlisted for The Polaris Music Prize for her 2019 debut full-length. "’Memory’ is about my struggle with memory loss and brain fog,” Leilani explains. “There are some days where I can't get the right words out, where I can't remember something as simple as someone's name or whether I've taken my medication (moments after taking it). While working on the album I had a dream where I was singing with Begonia. When I woke up she just happened to be on TikTok live. I joined and told her about my dream and she turned it into a reality." Watch the Francesca Nocera-directed claymation video for “Memory” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SoulChef & Uptown Swuite - "Wheels Fall Off" from the 2023 album LUA on SoulSwuite Music New Zealand-based artist SoulChef teams up again with west coast MC Uptown Swuite for today's Song of the Day. (We spotlighted the duo last year with another of their singles.) The latest in their "SoulSwuite" series is titled LUA, or "two" as translated from Samoan. The duo have long used their music to celebrate their shared heritage. As Uptown Swuite told HipHopDX, "We really just wanted to capture the Samoan experience all around via our eyes — whether it be a Samoan living in California, New Zealand. or even the motherland Samoa/American Samoa.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

dragonchild - "Sera" from the 2023 album dragonchild on FPE Records. dragonchild is the new project from saxophonist DA Mekonnen, who previously led the Boston-based 11-piece Ethiopian music collective Debo Band. As a solo artist, he says he plans to take his exploration of Ethiopian music and explode it "into vivid, three-dimensional space." On today's Song of the Day, he collaborates with Addis Ababa-based electronic artist Ethiopian Records (real name: Endeguena Mulu); he also samples the track "Seqota" by Yezinna Negash, a fellow Addis Ababa-based vocalist. As he sums up in a press statement, “The record feels and breathes to me like the Ethiopian music I’ve been trying to figure out my whole life.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speakers Corner Quartet - "Can We Do This? (feat. Sampha)" a 2023 single on OTIH Records KEXP loves a literal name ("The Morning Show on KEXP," anyone?), and jazz collective Speakers Corner Quartet have just that. The group formed in 2006 as the in-house band at South London landmark Speakers' Corner, a place that hosted open-mic nights where these four musicians would play for hours, improvising hip-hop beats for guest MCs to rap over. “There’s never been a rush as we’re just happy being in a room together," percussionist Kwake Bass told Qobuz. "Playing instruments is just an extension of that and I think that’s what the community is all about, it’s just another part of the conversation.” Now, as a recording collective, they continue to bring that live experience to their albums with an impressive list of guests. They've worked with Novelist, Joey Bada$$, Kae Tempest, Mica Levi, and on today's Song of the Day, fellow South London artist Sampha. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Fonda - New Mexico from the 2023 self-released album We Are Infinite. Seattle-based quintet La Fonda recently released their sophomore full-length We Are Infinite, a dream pop-indebted elegy to navigating life in a corporation-led city and the financial and mental health struggles that brings and finding the specks of hope within. Led by Filipino-American sisters Valeria and Veronica Topacio, the two have been grinding to make La Fonda into the band it is now since 2016. Playing every venue while tinkering with their sound has massively paid off, as the new record sees the band at their best. Our Song of the Day is the early single “New Mexico,” an anthemic ode to life on the road and the complicated feelings and relationships formed in the unique scenario of touring. Quick goodbyes to people who felt like family for a moment, scenic vistas that are constantly being replaced, and the feeling of constantly chasing something in the distance but not knowing exactly what it is. The immense beauty and simultaneous sadness of it is captured in the shimmering song. The band had this to say about the inspiration behind “New Mexico”: “This song takes us back to tour 2019. We spent some extra time in New Mexico with the band and our friend, who was hosting us at his home. He died of a drug overdose in the peak of the pandemic and this song is for him. We wrote parts of this song while at his house and unfortunately this was the last time we saw him. So many great memories happened on this tour and especially spending time at his home laughing under a red tiled roof with desert beneath our feet. We will never forget being in New Mexico together and it is a sacred place for us.” Watch the video for “New Mexico,” co-directed by Gemma Cross, Lily Grace, and GiiiRLBAND, and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miya Folick - So Clear from the 2023 album Roach on Nettwerk. Los Angeles-based musician Miya Folick released her sophomore full-length ROACH in late May, an album that unpacks “trying to get to the core of what life really is,” according to Folick. Following her 2018 debut Premonitions and 2022’s 2007 EP, the album is full of rich, shimmery production with help from Gabe Wax (War on Drugs, Fleet Foxes), Mike Malchicoff (King Princess, Bo Burnham) and Max Hershenow (MS MR), heightening her quarter-life crisis to cinematic levels. Our Song of the Day, “So Clear,” is the moment Folick finally sees a way through the wreckage of prior mistakes. “I was desperate like you read in the paper,” she coos. “Screaming in oblivion /I was alone in a lonesome place /'Til I finally said I'm done.” Coupled with sun-drenched production from Hershenow, it’s a classic movie-montage moment with our main character breaking through. Folick says this about the song: “‘So Clear’ is about pulling yourself out of the wreckage you’ve made of your own life again and again, for the thousands of days we live on this earth and realizing life is so much more expansive than the petty concerns we waste precious time on. An epiphany that I have over and over again is that I am very small, but my actions are very meaningful. So I have to choose to live truthfully every day. It’s not easy! The song is very dramatic, and I imagined it as a good karaoke song when we were making it.” Folick will be joining the Head and the Heart and Father John Misty for a North American tour starting in August, with a date in Spokane at the Pavilion at Riverfront on August 6th. Watch the visualizer for “So Clear" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hallelujah Lilly - "Bunny Rainbow Revolution," a 2023 self-released single DJ Kevin Cole picks another mystery track for this week's Song of the Day: while I can't seem to discern if Hallelujah Lilly is based in Reykjavik, Iceland or Nashville, Tennessee (or Canada?), Kevin was kind enough to share how he discovered her music: I was doing a DJ set at Lucky Records in Reykjavik last year on the Sunday of Iceland Airwaves. She came on and performed a solo acoustic set after me, and I was taken aback by her songwriting, grounded uplifting optimism, and spirit. I might not have heard her if it wasn't for this fortunate booking alignment. After her performance, I asked if she had music out and she said she was working on an album and would send it to me. This is the first song I've received. There's a haunting, lo-fi sparseness to "Bunny Rainbow Revolution" urging you to "set yourself free." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ooh La La - "Life's Too Fast To Feel" a 2023 self-released single. There's not a lot of information out there yet about brand-new Los Angeles-based duo Ooh La La, but sharp-eyed KEXP listeners might recognize the name Kii Arens from the liner notes of past Live at KEXP compilation albums! The long-time artist/director/graphic designer has previously created album covers for us. Now, relocated from his hometown of Minneapolis to Los Angeles, he and partner Jessy Greene (who has played violin for P!nk, Foo Fighters, and others) have launched this new musical project. The band reports on Facebook that today's Song of the Day will be released this summer as a double single via Killer Kern Records. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CIEL - "Somebody" a 2023 single on Jazz Life With today's Song of the Day, Brighton-based trio Ciel share a sneak peek at their upcoming EP Make It Better, which will be released July 7th via Jazz Life. “’Somebody’ is a song that came together for most part on the spot in the studio," frontwoman Michelle Hindriks explained in a press release. "It’s about starting to feel a deep urge to socialise, connect with others, party and be more outwards again after a period of needing solitude. Spring time is always a time when this naturally happens to me – getting out of my kind of winter hibernation and feeling that urge to be around people.” The track definitely has a '90s-influenced fuzzed-out jubilance that will have you pogo'ing any leftover winter doldrums right off. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Telehealth - Taliesin Grid a 2023 single on Very Famous. Telehealth is the Seattle-based project of Alexander Attitude (Deep Sea Diver, Brian John Appleby) and Kendra Cox (Lemolo) that make Devo-esque synthscapes targeting capitalism and the absurdities of our modern world. Their debut album Content Oscillator was released in March and specifically delves into Alexander Attitude's transition from musician to architect and back to musician, after discovering his disillusionment with their utopian visions and the aesthetics of sustainability which consequently became a tool for developers to sit comfortably within a political domain that is essentially capitalist and centrist. Our Song of the Day “Taliesin Grid” specifically hones in on this idea. “Straight line, black suit /Just when you see it, start to move /Not made, great men /Stuck in repetition,” Attitude declares in monotone over arpeggiated synths. He continues on, “A name that still survives /Dank Lloyd Wright /Architects they come, yeah /Architects they go /But materials finite.” Content Oscillator features production from Trevor Spencer (Valley Maker, Spirit Award, Deep Sea Diver, Chastity Belt) and mastering by the legendary Ed Brooks. Watch the video for “Taliesin Grid" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nabihah Iqbal - Dreamer from the 2023 album DREAMER on Ninja Tune. In late April, Nabihah Iqbal dropped her long-awaited sophomore record Dreamer via Ninja Tune. Five years after the release of her debut, Weighing of the Heart, and six since Iqbal’s last EP under her former moniker Throwing Shade, the record is a resplendent re-introduction to the London-born artist, curator, broadcaster and lecturer. Blending elements of early ‘80s electronica, shoegaze, and trance with ruminative lyricism, it’s a record that hits the heart as much as it does the body. The story behind the record starts in agony, as many great records do, with Iqbal’s studio being burglarized in early 2020 and all her work lost, including what was supposed to be her sophomore record. Piling onto the trauma, her grandfather suffered a brain hemorrage leading Iqbal to fly to Pakistan shortly before the pandemic hit and stranding her there as the world shut down. But as all creatives know, what doesn’t kill you, gives you better material for your work. It was there that the first seeds of Dreamer appeared, with just an acoustic guitar and a harmonium. Our Song of the Day is the album’s title track “Dreamer.” One of less trancey songs on the album, the song is a combination of Best Coast breeziness and Cocteau Twinsian dreaminess. The lyricism is pure unadulterated bliss, “Dream of me /And I'II dream of you,” Iqbal coos. “Sun so soft /And sky so blue /This love is happy love.” The song comes with a video shot in 700-year old palace in Old Lahore, Pakistan and directed by Zayan Agha, who said this of the video, “Taking a documentarian's approach to directing the music video, I gave Nabihah the freedom to discover the vibrant chaos of Lahore. I filmed her navigating through the city's mundane cacophony, resulting in a surreal and dreamy visual experience that vividly portrays the city's essence.” Watch the video and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

mui zyu - "Demon 01" from the 2023 album Rotten Bun for an Eggless Century on Father/Daughter Records With her solo project mui zyu, London-based musician Eva Liu (also of Dama Scout) sought to capture the sounds she heard growing up at her family's Chinese restaurant. As she explains to Talkhouse: My debut record, Rotten Bun for an Eggless Century, is about self-exploration and identity, at times told through a lens inspired by fantasy video-games and Chinese folklore. In the process of pulling together the themes for this collection of songs, I reflected on my own childhood and began to uncover sounds from my memory... Since we worked on this record, I feel even more tuned in to sounds around me all the time. For the most part, this has been a wonderful shift in my consciousness. Abrasive sounds that used to cause me stress are now intriguing — I’ll think about how they are made, what is causing the friction, how the air is moving, and I might even try to find rhythms in the chaos. I have welcomed this newfound relationship with my sonic surroundings and wonder if it’s played a role in my overall wellbeing. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sessa - "Vento a Favor" a 2023 single on Mexican Summer São Paulo-based musician Sessa returns with his first new single since last year's enchanting LP Estrela Acesa. The track is co-produced by Brazilian artist Biel Basile and American musician Mikey Coltun, who also plays bass in Mdou Moctar. "'Vento a Favor' started as a track meant to be on Estrela Acesa," he tells Stereogum. "It was recorded, mixed, and mastered in the same sessions as the whole LP but somewhere along the way, when putting the pieces together, I started to feel that its energy was different from the story I was trying to tell with the record. The track was a bit too sure of its force and movement forward, outwards, while Estrela Acesa’s gesture was something more of an inward look, a whisper to the soul. But you know, nothing wrong with that, breathing goes both in and out." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

deary - "Fairground (Saint Etienne Remix)" a 2023 single on Sonic Cathedral. London-based dreampop duo deary couldn't have chosen a better group than long-running UK trio Saint Etienne and composer Augustin Bousfield to remix their debut single, "Fairground." (The mix is formally titled the "Saint Etienne Meet Augustin Bousfield At The Top Of Town Mix.") “It was fun putting the guitars down for once, playing around with different synths instead,” says Ben, co-founder of deary. “I got into [Saint Etienne's 1991 debut LP] Foxbase Alpha in a big way while studying at Goldsmiths via the Dusty Springfield sample on ‘Nothing Can Stop Us.' I love that record; the drum samples and the pop sensibilities were a real inspiration for both ‘Fairground’ and deary as a whole. We absolutely love their reworking of ‘Fairground,’ it’s really trippy and such a joy to have them work on our stuff. A thousand thank yous to them and Augustin.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corvair - Right Hook from the 2023 self-released album Bound to Be. Portland duo Corvair describe themselves as “Scorpio weirdo power duo serving up lush guitar pop w/ sharp incisors,” which this fellow Scorpio can certainly appreciate. Made up of Brian Naubert (Ruston Mire, Tube Top, Pop Sickle, The Service Providers) and Heather Larimer (Eux Autres), the romantic, as well as musical, duo are veterans of the Portland music scene. They released their debut self-titled album in 2021 and are following it up with their sophomore full-length Bound to Be on June 23rd. The lead single off the record is “Right Hook,” explores a dark night in a relationship where the protagonist is ready to fight. “On this record, I pushed myself to be more exposed and unfiltered,” explains Larimer of the song. “I can unfortunately be an ugly fighter and I wondered what would happen lyrically if I just owned up to it. The things I do that I am ashamed of and the toll it takes on everyone involved.” “The musical spine of this song was me thinking about Tears for Fears meets King Crimson,” Nuebert says of the instrumentation. “But then Heather wrapped that art rock foundation in a Blondie-meets-Shirelles pop energy. It’s a strange combination that fits the story–out of control emotions that end in shame and regret.” Watch the video for "Right Hook" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeble Little Horse - Tin Man from the 2023 album Girl with Fish on Saddle Creek. Pittsburgh quartet Feeble Little Horse formed three years ago during the pandemic lull but have exploded since dropping their 2021 debut full-length Hayday. They’re on the verge of releasing its follow-up, Girl With Fish, via Saddle Creek, a perfect home for their slowcore brand of noise pop. Out June 9th, we’ve so far gotten three tastes of Girl With Fish, “Steamroller,” “Pocket,” and our Song of the Day “Tin Man.” Starting with a mathy guitar line directly inspired by Slint’s incredible “Breadcrumb Trail,” a rush of feedback roars in as frontwoman Lydia Slocum delivers her trademark deadpan vocals about a vapid, emotionless manipulator. “Took him apart and I found nobody/But when I dent you, I end up bruised.” “The song is about people who use sadness to control your actions because they know you will sympathize,” Slocum says of the song. “Oftentimes when these people are investigated there really is not much inside them, they just use emotions to get what they want out of other people. I have my qualms with this sort of person.” “‘Tin Man’ is one of the songs that represents a new style of writing for us as a group,” explains guitarist/co-songwriter Ryan Walchoski. “This song went back and forth through Google Drive links, trying to come up with the best iteration of the song that we were all happy with; vocals recorded, scrapped and re-recorded, drums scrapped and re-recorded, the chorus at one point was completely different.” Feeble Little Horse will be touring the US starting in June, with a date in Seattle on Wednesday, July 5th at Barboza. Watch the video for “Tin Man" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ĠENN - "A Reprise (That Girl)" a 2023 single on Liminal Collective On today's Song of the Day, Anglo-Maltese quartet ĠENN team up with guest vocalist John Newton (of fellow four-letters-all-caps duo JOHN) for this stylistically sinister slice of post-punk. On their Bandcamp page, vocalist Leona Farrugia speaks to the track's themes: “Naturally I’ve always felt like there’s a pressure to compare myself, be that through the lens of present technologies or within the creative industry. It’s something that can be very debilitating, especially to young people in a patriarchal society.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MAN ON MAN - "Showgirls" from the 2023 album Provincetown on Polyvinyl. “As we lean into what Man on Man is and will be, two things immediately come up. Energy and community. ’Showgirls’ is all that.” — Roddy Bottum, Man on Man As co-founder Roddy Bottum puts it, today's Song of the Day embodies the fun-loving duo's ethos. The track is a sneak peek at their sophomore LP Provincetown, out June 16th via Polyvinyl Records and named for the town in Massachusetts where Bottum and his partner/bandmate Joey Holman shared their first home. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caroline Polachek - "Fly To You (feat. Grimes and Dido)" from the 2023 album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You on Perpetual Novice. New music from Caroline Polachek is exciting enough, but when it features collaborations with both Grimes and Dido, it's a mind-blower. In an interview with Vulture, Polachek says he wrote part of the song in Grimes' bedroom at 6 AM — "Just the two of us, in this very sweet session," she details. As for Dido, Polachek wrote her a fan letter, asking for her involvement. “Her way of blending a quite natural, almost folk approach to pop singing with a very contemporary electronic production was very influential for me,” Polachek told Vulture. Following a FaceTime call days later (“I screamed and screen-grabbed it,” she admits), she traveled to Dido's home in Los Angeles where the two finished the track together. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Puerta Negra - Caida al Mal from the 2023 album Playa Sola on SYNTHICIDE. Portland-based Puerta Negra have been an immense amount of buzz for only just releasing their debut EP in 2022. They make 80’s-infused EBM that’s somehow both slick and grimy, making for the perfect edge. Berlin label Detriti dropped their debut Costa Humano and their upcoming follow-up Playa Sola is being released through Brooklyn-based darkwave label/monthly dance party hosts SYNTHICIDE. “Caida al Mal” is the lead single off Playa Sola and opens the four-track EP with swelling synths, hard-hitting electronic beats, and scathing growls from Maria Aguirre and Mark Arciaga. Of the song, the band had this to say: “In every revolution there are winners and there are losers. What is a dystopia for one may be a utopia for another. The lights can blind you but they can also lead the way.” Get a taste of Puerta Negra’s charismatic shows and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kurs Valüt - Kurs Valüt from the 2021 album Kurs Valüt on No Emb Blanc. Kurs Valüt is an electronic duo formed in 2017 by Eugene Gordeev in Dnipro to popularize the Minimal Wave in Ukraine. “The very appearance of Kurs Valüt is partly caused by the underdevelopment of the dark underground in Ukraine,” the duo explained in an interview with Post-Punk in 2021. “The moment of the absence of the subculture itself, thematic festivals, events for Gothic or Post Punk music fans…this is the result of a long disconnect of Ukraine from cultural processes in Europe and the World.” Our Song of the Day is the title track and opener of their sophomore self-titled record, released in 2021. It’s a throbbing club track that sees Gordeev monotonously reciting Ukrainian lyrics that this writer has yet to decipher but are compelling nonetheless. Of the album Kurs Valüt, the band had this to say on Bandcamp: “The second album, Kurs Valüt is the result of a long work that summarizes difficult stage of life experience inspired by solitude, austerity and extreme mental states. In comparison to the debut album Veselo (2018) it is more melodic and metaphoric. Lyrics can be interpreted differently. Usage of a tube summing mixer during the studio processes adds a warm, non-commercial textured color to the sound of this release.” Get a taste of Kurs Valüt’s live shows with this live recording of “Kurs Valüt” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prospexx - "Punya Siapa" from the 2021 album A Quiet World on Symphony of Distruction. On today's Song of the Day, Singaporean synth-pop duo PROSPEXX take us back to the '80s with their darkwave dance tracks. In an interview with Unite Asia, vocalist Vanessa explains that she and her bandmate Hafiz have always been into synthwave. "Both of us are super into 80s music, and the dystopian-esque vibe from the pandemic just happened to give us that huge push to actually do something about it," she explains of the band's inception. "It really isn’t like anything we do with any of our other bands and projects, plus the lockdowns made it hard for us to get together with any of our other friends anyway. So I guess it was borne out of both a love for the '80s and the absolute necessity to continue creating in a time of bleakness.” While most of the group's songs are song by Vanessa, today's track features guest vocals by Azril, singing in Bahasa, a form of Malay spoken in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RATPAJAMA - "Violence" from the 2023 album The Drunken Lost Tapes on Deepland Records With the release of her latest EP The Drunken Lost Tapes, Ratpajama — the solo darkwave project of Kyara Jereissati (aka Kyro Coma) — seeks to embrace imperfection. (Although today's Song of the Day is a goth-tinged piece of perfection to these ears, with a driving industrial beat that will take you to the Batcave, punctuated by Coma's solemn, beautifully detached vocals.) "Because of my unhealthy perfectionism I couldn't, for a long time, find them good enough to release," she shares on her Bandcamp page. "However, I realized what I had forgotten about what was most important to me in this project: having fun. Now, after a long time, I finally looked at these tracks with a different perspective and I feel extremely fulfilled for being able to share them with you guys." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zanias - "Burial" from the 2023 album Chrysalis on Fleisch Records. Chrysalis, the third album from Zanias (aka Alison Lewis), finds the ethereal darkwave artist undergoing a metamorphosis. The songs on this release were written and recorded between her current home of Berlin and her original home of Australia during a period of self-protection, as Lewis processed feelings of burnout, trauma, and, on today's Song of the Day, grief. "That one is about burying someone you love," she revealed to Loverboy Magazine. "The period right after, when you have to build a new world without that person in it. I had flown back to Australia to be there when someone I loved died and people were angry at me for cancelling tour dates, even though I had told them a family member was ill. I wanted privacy but because of that they were questioning if I was lying. I couldn’t believe the insensitivity, and it was just really hard to feel like I had disappointed everyone over something that was already so heartbreaking and scary. So yes, ‘Burial’ is a heavy one. It’s also the first song I wrote after I decided to quit music, hence 'I can’t seem to do this anymore' and 'I’m not even sorry I disappeared.' I thought I was finished." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of The Heavy Sun - Cosmic Television a 2023 self-released single. Of The Heavy Sun are a psych rock trio from Seattle that has been churning out brooding psychedelic opuses since 2015, with the release of their debut self-titled full-length. They’re due to release their latest record Cosmic Television on June 2nd, after two years of production and “constant setbacks,” according to the band. Our Song of the Day is the album’s title track, a forceful nearly five-and-a-half-minute song that exemplifies the best of what the band has to offer: fiery guitars, humming basslines, and soaring vocals. The anxieties of modern life with the thesis being “Everyone is blinded by watching TV.” Frontman Samuel Emerick proclaims, “Finally awake /I can’t escape /Isearch these desert plains /It’s been two weeks since I was high and I can’t find a place to lay my head.” “Cosmic Television” was produced by Jesse Field mixed by Matt Bayles and mastered by Adam Cichoki. Of The Heavy Sun is playing the Sunset Tavern on Saturday, June 10th with Tuff Talk, Torch, and Prismia. Get an idea of their searing live performances with a live video recorded at the High Dive and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acid Arab & Wael Alkak - Ya Mahla from the 2023 album ٣ (Trois) on Crammed Discs. French-Algerian collective Acid Arab recently released their appropriately titled third record ٣ (Trois) (٣ is the symbol for the figure three in Arabic and “trois” means "three" in French) in February via Crammed Discs. The collective, composed of Guido Minisky, Hervé Carvalho, Pierrot Casanova, Nicolas Borne and Kenzi Bourras, is known for their fusion of electronic and North African and Middle Eastern sounds and their latest record sees them bring in a bevy of guest vocalists from North Africa, Syria, and Turkey to add depth to their already-addictive club sounds. Our Song of the Day, “Ya Mahla,” features Syrian singer Wael Alkak, an accomplished musician and founder of the Neshama Popular Arts Association who has spent the past decade making a name for himself as an artist speaking out about the revolution while merging synthesizers and machines with bouzouk, traditional chaâbi rhythms, and popular songs from the Levant. It’s a dark and churning techno track that spends nearly seven minutes hammering away. Perhaps perfect for the inky recesses of a nightclub but when translating the lyrics, it’s an anthem for freedom, reading: “What a beautiful word, ‘Freedom’ / I salute the Arab people / What a beautiful word, ‘Freedom’ / I salute the Arab revolutionaries.” Watch the visualizer for “Ya Mahla" and read the full post at KEXP.org,Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shalom - "Happenstance" from the 2023 album Sublimation on Saddle Creek. Brooklyn-based, South Africa-raised artist Shalom had been playing bass in bands while in New Brunswick for college, and working on home-recorded solo songs on the side, when she was discovered by producer Ryan Hemsworth. He invited her to contribute to his collaborative project Quarter-Life Crisis, which led to her being signed with Saddle Creek Records, who released her debut album Sublimation earlier this year. On today's Song of the Day, the Brooklyn-based, South Africa-raised artist sings of her "need to evaporate and receive validation at the same time," displaying a raw vulnerability against a dancey beat. “The record is an introduction to me as a songwriter,” she says in a press statement. “I think it shows my versatility, but really, it’s me being really honest, earnest, and naked. You can see my bones on this record. I'm okay with it though, because I’ve got to get it out.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HÆLOS - "Last Days" from the 2023 album Where We Bring Our Burdens on INDIGO KIN. London-based trio HÆLOS returns with the track "Last Days," a song they describe as "about trying to evade the fears that come from traumatic experiences by constantly reminding oneself to remain present." It's the third single to be shared from the band's forthcoming full-length, titled Where We Bring Our Burdens. No official release date has been announced yet, but if today's Song of the Day is any indication, we have another beautiful, emotive LP from HÆLOS on the way. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beach Vacation - "Lay Low" a 2023 single on Z Tapes. Take some time off with the dreamy vibes of Beach Vacation. The latest single from this Seattle-based pop project of songwriter Tabor Rupp will call to mind bands on the Captured Tracks Records roster like Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing. Rupp told the music blog kid with a vinyl that today's Song of the Day is about “wanting to leave behind everything – specifically the things and people that are stressors and forget about them forever.” Sounds like a vacation to me. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sendai Era - Calamansi dreams from the 2023 self-released album Kalayaan. Sendai Era are a Seattle-based music duo of emcee Era and producer Sendai Mike. They’ve been making music together since 2013 and released their sophomore full-length Kalayaan in January. “Kalayaan” is the Tagalog word for “Liberation,” which is a feeling the duo tried to capture throughout the album. “This album carries the lessons and experiences over the past few years,” explains the duo. “Forming a myriad of songs that signify a new beginning for us.” Our Song of the Day, “Calamansi dreams,” features guest vocals from Clarissa Abadesco and uses the economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines, calamansi, as a metaphor for growth through discrimination and getting back to one's roots. "We wrote Calamansi dreams during lockdown,” says Sendai Era of the song. “It describes our experiences growing up in the diaspora through the lenses of family, culture, and music.” Watch Sendai Era’s music video for Kalayaan track “Written" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lo! Peninsula - Super Glue (Cover) from the 2023 self-released album The Resurrection Of The Princess Of Woe And Her Vampire Hound Posse. Lo! Peninsula is a shoegaze/dreampop trio from Imphal, India that first caught the ears of KEXP’s John Richards and his producer Owen Murphy back in 2018 with their debut full-length AKA Lo Peninsula. Murphy interviewed the band that year about making music in a conflict-torn area and their DIY recording process. Since then, they’ve only released less than a handful of singles but recently returned with “Super Glue.” The song is a cover of Indian noise-rockers Hoirong’s 2013 original and appears on a covers album made in celebration of the tenth anniversary of Hoirong’s debut album The Reincarnation of The Princess of Woe and Her Vampire Hound Posse. Titled The Resurrection of The Princess of Woe and Her Vampire Hound Posse, the album sees contributions from Indian bands like Pacifist, Disco Puppet, Mr. INDIA, and Audrey. Hoirong’s version of “Super Glue” is a lo-fi affair with screeching warbles and fuzzed-out guitars while frontman Kamal Singh melodramatically sings, “Slowly comes an asshole and he looks so good /Slowly you become my menstruation /Funny how you try to be the super glue.” The original is so good that it’s a nerve-wracking undertaking to cover. Instead of trying to mimic, Lo! Peninsula wraps the song in a sheeny haze, taking “Super Glue” to new heights. Watch the video for Lo! Peninsula’s 2021 single “Kintsugi” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drinking Boys and Girls Choir - "City" from the 2023 album Hey, Listen To Me on Damnably The latest release from South Korean trio Drinking Boys and Girls Choir is a collaborative project with three female artists from their hometown of Daegu. (On this EP, they've also invited special guest Jang Young-eun, guitarist and vocalist of the band igloo.) On today's Song of the Day, they've teamed up with artist Kim Seoul, known for her humorous work in printmaking with hand-colored details. As they write on their Bandcamp, the song was inspired by a conversation with drummer/vocalist Myeongjin Kim and Kim Seoul "about the loneliness and fear that metropolitan cities can give to individuals living in them, especially those cities that feel bigger for women living alone. Inspired by the conversation, the image of the song itself is about comforting yourself, after having experienced those feelings, and comforting fellow citizens who are still in such a situation." For the accompanying exhibition, Kim Seoul crafted a space that looks like her old living room. "The memories of living in a gap between clothes and objects in a small room are reproduced in this work. Through installations made with eco-friendly materials such as Tyvek, and silkscreen engraving techniques, the artist created a space filled with small but precious things which allowed for small citizens in large cities and exhibition visitors to search for other entries." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FiFi Zhang - "Nobody" from the 2023 EP So Beautiful So Lonely on Gum Studio. What started as a thesis project at the Parsons School of Design has since become a music career for FiFi Zhang. The Shanghai-born/Brooklyn-based artist was inspired by a sound design class to create her own songs, and submitted the track "Butterfly" and its accompanying music video. Since then, she's continued to evolve her ethereal electro-pop style, culminating in her latest EP, So Beautiful So Lonely (a title Zhang told music blog Grandma Sophia's Cookies was inspired by a line from the TV show Sex & the City). Today's Song of the Day transforms the loneliness Zhang experienced during the pandemic into a house track, with a companion clip directed by Xiao Han and produced by Kennie Zhou. As she told GSC, "My image for the video was, you are at the bottom of the ocean and nobody can hear you, just floating by yourself in the bottom of the ocean. There is a scene where I’m a mermaid deep in the ocean, the sea creatures, my imaginary friends, all pop up from underneath me. It’s my version of turning tears into pearls, a productive solitary self-indulgence where my own creations make my world so colorful and beautiful. That’s the message of the music video." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lionmilk - "anxious thing" from the 2023 album Intergalactic Warp Terminal 222 on Leaving Records. With his latest LP Intergalactic Warp Terminal 222, Lionmilk continues the theme of using music to heal with another collection of soothing soul-jazz sounds to inspire introspection. Los Angeles-based musician/composer/producer Moki Kawaguchi refers to the new album as "music to feel less whack to." Like on 2021's COVID-response release, I Hope You Are Well, Kawaguchi explores songcraft as a means of self-care, connection, and community. (It's fitting that he continues to work with Leaving Records, who share a similar philosophy of camaraderie.) Today's Song of the Day is a lovely, lo-fi, breezy piece of electropop sure to absolve your own anxious feelings. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MCM - Cry Me A River from the 2023 self-released Stolen Moments EP. MCM (aka Mid Century Modern) is a brand new Seattle-based duo featuring long-running emcee, producer, and community organizer King Khazm and singer/songwriter Jesse Kogita. In February, they released their debut EP Stolen Moments. The three-song EP sees the duo reimagine classic jazz standards by building a collage of samples, boom bap, bebop, and hip hop. On our Song of the Day, Ella Fitzgerald’s classic “Cry Me a River,” adding potent verses from Khazm of regrets and heartbreak, staying true to the sorrowful original but adding a downtempo boom bap beat, samples from old films, and Kogita taking on the role of singing Fitzgerald’s part. Ending with a sobbing woman, the song is both emotional and an incredibly original take on a song that’s been a part of our musical canon for nearly a century and covered countless times. Find the Stolen Moments EP on Bandcamp and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

URF Tone - Zan Zendegi Azadi (Women Life Freedom) a 2023 self-released single. URF Tone is a duo made up of producer (as well as model, actor, and avid golfer) Nicholas Demps, aka The World Famous N.I.C, and MC Ila Parvaz. Together they seek to pay tribute to the golden era of Hip Hop, with inspirational lyricism and jazzy production. Emerging in 2020, the duo have released a string of singles, with a full-length titled All That Glitters due out in 2023 which features contributions from Camp Lo, Mr. Funke (of Lords of the Underground), Rae Khalil (contestant on the Netflix series, Rhythm + Flow), and Uhmeer (actor/rapper, and son of DJ Jazzy Jeff). Our Song of the Day, “Zan Zendegi Azadi (Women Life Freedom),” uses downtempo to highlight Parvaz’s lyrics about fighting oppression and tyranny, as well as lifting women up. The song is an excellent example of the band’s ethos, which they explained to The Hype Magazine in 2022 saying, “In a landscape of excessive braggadocio and shock-jocks, we raise questions around what is being elevated, while decency and simple goodness fall to the wayside. We’re both full-time workers and, more importantly, husbands to our wives, so we give everything we can to music from a place of passion and childlike joy.” Watch the video for “Zan Zendegi Azadi (Women Life Freedom)" and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chyle - DAY (feat. B SELF) from the 2023 album Majestic Constellations on Cosmic Aliens Entertainment On his latest LP, Majestic Constellations, Chyle MC (pronounced Child Emcee) invites listeners on a voyage influenced by classic Parliament-Funkadelic, who he cites as his "muse." Though based in Atlanta, Georgia, Chyle MC has ties to Seattle, working with longtime friend and producer Vitamin D, and on today's Song of the Day, bringing in Vitamin's Ghetto Children bandmate B-Self for guest vocals. The track serves as a pep talk to anyone just trying to get through the day, reviving you with its upbeat energy. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pure Akan - "Yete Apor (feat. Efya)" a 2023 single on A-Level Music. Ghanaian highlife/hip-hop artist Pure Akan stays true to his roots by rapping in Twi, a dialect of the Akan language. "It created a connection between me and my people, the Akan people and also our culture," he told Pan African Music. "My fans relate better. They understand me now." His new single sees him pairing up with another Ghana-based songwriter, neo-soul artist Efya, whose voice elevates the beauty of today's Song of the Day. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alsarah - "Farasha فراشة (feat. Sufyvn & Flippter)" a 2023 single on Alsarah Productions On today's Song of the Day, Sudanese songstress Alsarah celebrates femininity. The song title "Farasha" translates to "butterfly" in Arabic, and in a press statement, she says the track honors the "spirit of resistance, resiliency, and perseverance" of Sudanese women. The featured song was co-produced with Sufyvn and features guest rapper, Flippter. In the background, you'll hear field recordings Alsarah gathered in the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile in Sudan. The accompanying music video — directed by award-winning Sudanese multidisciplinary artist, Mai Elgizouli — is designed to "shine a light on neglected issues facing women in Sudan, which have ranged from societal pressure over beauty standards to women’s roles in the revolution.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acid Tongue - Consumerism a 2023 self-released single. It’s been two years since Seattle garage rockers Acid Tongue released their third full-length Arboretum, which came about as frontman Guy Keltner came to terms with drug and alcohol abuse, as well as his struggles with his bipolar diagnosis, during the pandemic. Keltner and co-frontman Ian Cunningham detailed the making of the record as well as their personal experiences on Sound & Vision in 2021. Our Song of the Day is the latest release we’ve gotten from Acid Tongue since then, the anti-capitalist/nihilist anthem “Consumerism.” Over the thrumming guitar rhythm, the message relayed by Keltner is clear. No matter how or what you consume, we’re all consumers. Be it eating too much, drinking excessively, consuming cheap drugs, or “digital love” (I think we all know what means), they’re all easy forms of escape through consumption. “Every day I consume more,” softly cries Keltner. “Can you tell me what it’s all been for?/ Cheap drugs and digital love/ I never know when enough’s enough.” Below, watch the video for “Consumerism,” directed & edited by James Kimberling, and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daníel Hjálmtýsson - No Reception (feat. Aðalbjörn Tryggvason) from the 2022 self-released album Labyrinthia. While Daníel Hjálmtýsson’s recorded work only dates back to 2020, he’s made quite a splash in the past few years, perking the ears of his fellow Icelanders as well as a particular Seattleite - Kevin Cole. He recently caught their performance at Tremor Festival which is set at secret locations around São Miguel island in the Azores and has been said by some to be the “world’s weirdest music festival.” So stunned by their performance, he had to share their music with the world. In November, Daníel Hjálmtýsson, which also includes Hálfdán Árnason and Skúli Gíslason, released their debut full-length Labyrinthia. The album leans into Nick Cave-esque gothic rock that Mark Lanegan, also a clear inspiration, cited as, “Neo-goth music that brings to mind the forbidding landscapes of his native Iceland. One can imagine him on a stage in a church-turned-dungeon somewhere in the Reykjavik underbelly.” I don’t think I could possibly describe it better than Lanegan so I’ll let him do the talking. Our Song of the Day is the lead single off Labyrinthia, “No Reception,” which features guest vocals from fellow Icelandic rocker, Aðalbjörn Tryggvason, of the long-running post-metal band Sólstafir. It’s a slow-churner about the anxieties of loneliness and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Also, perhaps because I’ve recently binged the new Interview with a Vampire series, the words, “I’ll never see another /I’ll never see another /Day” seem like a song Louis might write. A melancholy ode to the plight of eternal darkness. The official video for “No Reception” debuts today, alongside our Song of the Day, and was directed, edited, and produced by Jónatan Leó. Watch it and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tramhaus - "Make It Happen," a 2022 single on Subroutine Records. Post-punk quintet Tramhaus provide a sneering statement on their hometown of Rotterdam, Netherlands on today's Song of the Day. The phrase "make it happen" serves as the city's official slogan — "a phrase which coincidentally functions as the absurd and out-of-touch city-slogan of Rotterdam," they state on Facebook. The accompanying music video was filmed in the Wielewaal neighborhood, and the residents who are set to be evicted. “Drawing further on what we believe is a misleading Rotterdam city slogan – 'make it happen' – we came up with the idea to make a video with the Wielewalers,” the band commented to Beats Per Minute. “With the video, we hope to show their struggle to a wider audience.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Verde Prato - "Niña Soñando" from the 2023 album Adoretua on Plan B Rec. Recording under the name Verde Prato, Colombian artist Ana Arsuaga sings in Basque, honoring the traditions of the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Her haunting neo-folk synth-pop songs call to mind artists like Kate Bush or Tirzah. Via her Bandcamp page, she explains today's Song of the Day reflects on "the questions that arise for a girl, questions that a girl asks of the world, of life, of otherness, of love, to innocence." The accompanying video features students at the Berrobi School in Tolosa, Spain, and the clip was directed by Maria Muriedas and Arsuaga's mother, Elena Arambarri (the theater teacher at the Berrobi). "I find it a song that moves me," she tells Mondo Sonoro, "because it talks about some questions and a general state in which I could be a lot when I was a child, and I'm not only referring to the lyrics but also to the tone of the song, to the cadence, to the atmosphere. For me, it's like a sad and happy song at the same time, dreamy, and the rhythms also lead me to such a dance." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucrecia Dalt - "Contenida" from the 2022 album ¡Ay! on RVNG Intl. On her eighth and latest LP ¡Ay!, Colombian-born, Berlin-based artist Lucrecia Dalt celebrates both her homeland and outer space. Infusing childhood influences of bolero, mambo, merengue, and salsa into her synth-heavy soundscapes, she tells the story of Preta, an extraterrestrial being who lands on Earth. The ten-track album examines themes of love, time, and on today's Song of the Day, existence. "A falling progression, vocals harmonizing, a jazzy something… Why not?," she describes to The Fader in a track-by-track. "Playing this piece live, it’s become one of my favorites from the album. Fun to perform, fun to dance to. Can you imagine being bodiless and suddenly feeling trapped, like theatrical containment? Irreversible…" Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jarv Dee & Bad Colours - Beat Drop a 2023 single on MOOR LIFE. Jarv Dee has been one of the leading rap luminaries of the Seattle scene for the past decade, churning out numerous bops and anthems. Since the beginning, one of his secret weapons has been production from London-born, Maryland-raised, Brooklyn-based DJ, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Ibe Solima, aka Bad Colours. Solima has worked with some big names including Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Keyshia Cole, and Faith Evans but it wasn’t until 2021 that he finally dropped his debut Bad Colours full-length PINK, which featured Jarv Dee. Since then, the duo has been consistently dropping collaborative singles and our Song of the Day is their most recent. Described by Dee as “If ‘F**k around and found out’ was a person,” the song is an absolute banger. The house track bounces and bumps while Dee encourages listeners to dance the pain away “When the beat drop.” Watch the Tim Slew-directed video for “Beat Drop” and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Es - Swallowed Whole from the 2023 Fantasy EP on Upset The Rhythm. London-based quartet Es burst onto the scene back in 2020 with their debut LP Less of Everything, made up of nine tracks of ominous and icy post-punk exploring the tension between intent and interpretation. Three years later, they’re back with the Fantasy EP. For their new release, they’ve bumped the tempo up but haven’t lost an ounce of sneer. Our Song of the Day “Swallowed Whole” is frantic and twitchy, with taut syncopated rhythms and pinched synths while frontperson Maria Cecilia Tedemalm sings of building anxiety that completely overwhelms. Tedemalm had this to say about the song: "Musically the writing process behind ‘Swallowed Whole’ is a bit hazy for me, but I very vividly remember getting super excited when listening to the first rough demo over and over again and writing almost all the lyrics while walking to the bus stop 7 minutes from my house. Once I had the first line down the rest just came flowing. I think I had a lot of pent up frustration just itching to get out as thematically the song taps into some quite frantic and raw emotions. It’s about teetering on a knife's edge and wanting to escape yourself and your current circumstances before they completely devour you. We shot the video for it at our friend's recording studio called Head Cold in Bermondsey. The idea originally was to be "Swallowed Whole" in smoke but sadly the smoke machine we borrowed wouldn't work so it came out a bit more like maybe we're playing at your highschool under the sea themed prom." Watch the video for "Swallowed Whole," directed by Tedemalm, and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

System Olympia - "Falling in Love" from the 2023 album New Erotica Collection on Okay Nature Over the past few years, London-based producer, DJ, and vocalist System Olympia (real name: Francesca Macri) has been releasing a series of sultry stand-along singles, including today's Song of the Day, featuring guest vocals from South London artist P Nut. Earlier this year, she compiled nine of these tracks into the LP New Erotica Collection, With an album title like that, you won't be surprised that System Olympia finds inspiration in Tinto Brass films and Anaïs Nin's Delta of Venus short story collection. (In fact, Macri's 2020 LP of the same title is an ode to those literary works.) On her Bandcamp page, she cites "night rides in my Mercedes Benz." Check out the video for today's Song of the Day, and climb into the passenger seat. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Say She She - "Reeling" a 2023 single on Colemine/Karma Chief. It's a tongue-twister, but Brooklyn trio Say She She named their group as a tribute to none other than Nile Rodgers ("C’est chi-chi!: It's Chic!,” they explain on their Bandcamp). They also carry his torch with their self-described "discodelic soul," sure to get you out on the dance floor. On today's Song of the Day, band members Nya Gazelle Brown, Sabrina Cunningham, and Piya Malik deliver an "incantation from Mother Earth to the masses to join the rising against the calamitous forces of unfettered capitalism that has left our seas and skies grappling." In flawless harmony, the incite the listener to: Shake it all offToss the ashesKick the door downSmash the ceilingLeave 'em reeling Check out the accompanying video (directed by Lisa Schiller), and then revisit their November 2022 KEXP in-studio session below. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.