Kexp Song Of The Day

This week’s Song of the Day picks, as chosen by DJ Miss Ashley, coincide with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. While Indigenous Peoples’ Day is recognized on October 9, KEXP will be paying tribute to Indigenous artists throughout the whole week here and throughout the rest of our podcasts and programming. Learn more about our Indigenous Peoples’ Day coverage.  Warning: This write-up touches on topics of suicide.  In 2019, Statistics Canada delivered an alarming report about the Indigenous suicide rate crisis – finding that Indigenous people in Canada are three times more likely to die by suicide than non-Indigenous Canadians. This troubling data reflects the harrowing experience and conditions not just in Canada, but for Indigenous people across the globe.  Jeremy Dutcher commemorates this experience in his heart-wrenching song “Ancestors Too Young.” The enigmatic songwriter is known for their dazzling blend of their classical training and pop songwriting. Dutcher, who is from the Tobique First Nation, will often sin

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Speedy Ortiz - "You S02," from the 2023 album Rabbit Rabbit on Wax Nine Records On today's Song of the Day, Speedy Ortiz songwriter Sadie Dupuis finds inspiration in season 2 of the Netflix series You. She explains in a press statement: "Mostly when I’ve met my musical heroes, they’re kind and principled people. But occasionally someone whose work I love(d) reveals themselves to be anti-union, or anti-’woke,’ or some other gear-grinding ugliness. That’s who I wrote ‘You S02’ about, the song’s frenzied guitar and synth solos mirroring the crazymaking intensity wafting off people who act like that. In the TV show You’s second season, the main character moves from New York to LA in hopes of a fresh start, but (spoiler) remains a murdering psychopath. Changing cities won’t make you a hero if you still treat others badly."  The track can be found on the band's fourth LP (and first new one in five years), Rabbit Rabbit, out now via Wax Nine. The album was co-produced by the band and Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotti

nour - "wana," a 2023 single on Ra Records On her debut EP Daydreaming, Egyptian artist Nour shares a sparkling synth-pop, with lyrics in both Arabic and English.  After discovering fellow Egypt-based producer Kubbara on Instagram, Nour sent him some lyrics and a beat, igniting the creative fires behnd today's Song of the Day.  The song is about empathy. "It's someone agreeing with the same thing you're going through," she explains in an interview with SceneNoise. "So, if someone says 'wana,' it's like saying: I'm going through the same thing, too, so we're both in the same boat." With that said, she adds that the song can be interpreted in more than one way. "That's what makes it special, in my opinion." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tara Clerkin Trio - "The Turning Ground," a 2023 single on World of Echo On today's hypnotic and dreamy Song of the Day, the Bristol-based band Tara Clerkin Trio draw influence from the dub-step-heavy influences of their backyard (think Portishead and Massive Attack), combined with their own past as the eight-piece psych-folk group the Tara Clerkin Band. (“You could say the Tara Clerkin Trio started mainly because everyone else un-joined the Tara Clerkin Band,” Clerkin tells Loud & Quiet. “A lot of the other members went traveling or had babies, so we’re basically the leftovers.”) The track will appear on the five-song EP titled On the Turning Ground, out November 3rd via World of Echo, the partner label of the esteemed London record store of the same name.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Little Dragon & April + Vista - "Rebels," from the 2023 album Slipping Into Color on Ninja Tune Grammy-nominated quartet Little Dragon are about to head out on tour with Washington D.C. duo April + VISTA, and what better way to kick off the tour than with a collaborative release? The EP, titled Slipping Into Color, is out now via Ninja Tune Records. “On a recent trip to the US we got to hang with April + VISTA and we couldn’t resist their sound," Little Dragon explain in a press statement. "This EP represents an intense week of diving deep into the musical universe together with them.” April + VISTA add, “Working with Little Dragon on this EP was nothing short of a dream. It’s an experience we’ll always cherish.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emi Pop - "Lo Sé," a 2023 self-released single Now based in Seattle, Emi Pop began her musical journey in her home of Puerto Rico. Following stints in bands like Mely y Los Poppers, and local groups Famous Lizards and 38 Coffin, Emi Pop has ventured out on her own with her debut single "Lo Sé." The track is an irresistible blend of punk and pop, punctuated with some new wave-y keyboards. As she writes on her Instagram, "It was about time I put my music out into the world — this song is just one of many more to come." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pachyman - "Trago Coqueto," a 2023 single on ATO Records L.A.-based artist Pachy García — who records as Pachyman — reflects on his homeland of Puerto Rico on today's Song of the Day. “It’s like a stream of consciousness,” he tells Remezcla. “I wanted to play with the idea of being a bartender, the profession of getting people drunk, and my constant dilemma about returning home – which I am still not ready to do. It’s about grappling with the emotions of my daily life in a casual yet poetic manner.” You can find the track on his new LP, Switched-On, which comes out tomorrow, Friday, September 29th, via ATO Records. The album is a dub-filled delight, and was even recorded on the same model of mixing board that Lee “Scratch” Perry used in his Kingston studio.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Verito Asprilla  - "Letras Millonarias," a 2023 single on Discos Pacífico Colombian artist Verito Asprilla arrived on the scene from Tumaco-Nariño at the age of 18, yet possessing a maturity beyond her years on her debut EP Mundo Lila. She writes of women's empowerment, and on today's Song of the Day, she raps, "I'm still poor but my lyrics are millionaire." An inspiring message of self-esteem in any language.  “It flows to me,” she says in a Google-translated interview with Colombia Visible. She says of the Pacific, "I want people to look here and see that more than violence, there is talent."  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luisa Almaguer - "Wey," a 2023 self- released single It's been four years since we last heard from Luisa Almaguer (check out her previous Song of the Day pick here), and now she's sharing the first single off her forthcoming full-length, titled Weyes, out in 2024. Like her previous work, it's a sultry slice of synth-pop, elevated by her powerful vocals.  Almaguer has also been keeping busy as the host of the La Hora Trans podcast, and is currently working on a documentary about Mexican folk-rock band Belafonte Sensacional. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diego Raposo - "EL UNDERGROUND (feat. mediopicky)" from the 2023 album YO NO ERA ASÍ PERO DE AHORA EN ADELANTE, SÍ on GRAN VAINA This week's Song of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Albina Cabrera, co-host of El Sonido, in honor of Aquí y Ahora: Without Borders. Join KEXP September 15th to October 15th as we continue amplifying the music, stories, and presence of Latinx, Latine, and Hispanic communities in the United States and the diaspora in our on-air, in-person, and digital world. More info here. Dominican multi-instrumentalist/producer Diego Raposo teams up with his frequent collaborator Mediopicky for today's Song of the Day. On his debut album, YO NO ERA ASÍ PERO DE AHORA EN ADELANTE, SÍ, Raposo blends electronica and alternative with dembow (a Dominican musical genre that originated in Jamaican dancehall) and other Afro-Caribbean rhythms.  “We were trying to find something that had its own identity,” he told Rolling Stone.  “I loved the idea of making an album that’s electronic at its core, so the id

Nada Rosa - “Reversal of Fortune" from the 2023 album Nunca Te Olvido on OTHERWORLDS Based in Seattle, but with roots in the Dominican Republic, Brandi Diaz celebrates her family with her musical project Nada Rosa. As she told KEXP Staff Reporter Martin Douglas back in June, the band name traces back to her beloved abuelito (or "grandmother"), who has passed away: it's a combination of her grandmother's name with the Buddhist concept of non-attachment. “And that’s when I started moving forward with music in a more intentional way,” she explained. And the title of her debut EP, Nunca Te Olvido, pays tribute to her grandfather, who tells her as much over the phone when he calls. As she says on Bandcamp, the phrase translates to "I never forget you" or "You're always in my heart."  "This whole project is me learning how to love myself and the power of love between friends, between family,” she tells KEXP. Read the full story at KEXP.org  Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener f

Black Pumas - "More Than a Love Song" from the 2023 album Chronicles of a Diamond on ATO "More than a love song," indeed! The Grammy-nominated Austin, TX-based duo Black Pumas (singer/songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada) return with their sophomore album Chronicles Of A Diamond, out October 27th via ATO. Burton describes today's Song of the Day as “the exclamation point on the initiation of mine and Adrian’s relationship in the first place.” “That’s what we sound like, together when he is introducing music to me for me to then find the character or the moment to embellish and add colours to that initial canvas,” he told NME.  He adds in a press release, “’More Than a Love Song’ is a message I borrowed from my Uncle Steve. As a songwriter and caregiver, he’d listen to me write songs from afar and if I were lucky he’d have a pointer or two for me. ‘Life is more than a love song.’” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for

Hand Habits - "Something Wrong" from the 2023 album Sugar the Bruise on Fat Possum Sugar the Bruise, the latest LP from Hand Habits — led by LA-based artist Meg Duffy — was inspired by a songwriting class they taught back in August 2021. "It was both inspiring and terrifying," they shared via a press release. "I hesitated to consider myself a Songwriter, despite having released three records, let alone enough to teach others how to do it my way. In preparing for this course I examined my own approach with a close eye (at times too close for comfort). I realized how vital improvisation and collaboration are to me; in life and in songwriting. I was asked to design writing prompts, and although this was not typically how I would write left to my own devices, I found it to be a wonderful way to get the wheels of inspiration turning. I also cherished how special it was to see all of these other musicians, some new, some contemporaries, rising to the occasion and following themselves into the unknown." Read the ful

Sparklehorse - "Evening Star Supercharger” from the 2023 album Bird Machine on ANTI- Today's Song of the Day is a bittersweet one: the track comes from the posthumous Sparklehorse album Bird Machine, recorded by singer/songwriter Mark Linkous in 2009, but unreleased following his death by suicide in 2010.  The release was lovingly spearheaded by Mark's brother and his sister-in-law Melissa. “It’s the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Matt says in a press release. “It’s difficult making a choice about someone else’s art, even if you’ve known them all your life and worked with them, even if they were your brother and best friend. We had long conversations about not wanting to take this into a different direction. We wanted to bring out what was there.” “Mark communicated these songs," Melissa adds. “We just did our best to transmit them.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Juan Wauters - “Modus Operandi (feat. Frankie Cosmos)" from the 2023 album Wandering Rebel on Captured Tracks On today's Song of the Day, Queens-based Uruguay-born artist Juan Wauters casts a critical eye on the New Yorkers who were able to vacate the city during the COVID-19 crisis. Against a melancholy plucked melody and with swelling strings, Wauters sings, "People that have options go back to their suburbs / To them it was just like some kind of Disney World." “COVID made it clear that some people have it harder than others,” Wauters told the Tucson Weekly. “People that didn’t have an option, they were locked in their apartments. It was right in your face, the inequality of the world, and I commented on that. Sometimes I feel like ‘Modus Operandi’ could come off like I was resentful that everyone left the city, and people that didn’t have an option could not leave. Maybe I was resentful. But also, as I now look back and have a conversation about it, I realize that it’s just an observation of everyday life

Daisies - "Blue Cowboy," from the 2023 album Great Big Open Sky on K Records On their latest LP, Great Big Open Sky, Olympia, WA-based band Daisies flex their musical muscle, diverging from their previous trip-hop/electro-pop sound into more organic, folkier territory. That said, today's Song of the Day is true to the "electronic paisley underground" sound we've heard them explore over the past seven releases. Vocalist Valerie Warren girlishly coos the story of a "blue cowboy on the range," and the accompanying music video spotlights some stellar moves from Mario.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Temple of Angels - "Waving to the Wind" from the 2023 album Endless Pursuit on Run for Cover. It's no surprise that the gothic dream-pop of Austin, TX-based band Temple Of Angels finds inspirations from actual dreams. Their debut full-length — titled Endless Pursuit, and out now from Run For Cover — reflects both the good and bad subsconscious nighttime reflections. “Sometimes a beautiful dream will sneak in past the nightmares, which inspire a lot of my writing as well, specifically these dreams I had as a teenager that took place in a past or future life in some kind of parallel universe,” explains honey-voiced frontwoman Bre Morell. “I’ve been thinking about those dreams for 16+ years and they still consume me.”  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deeper - "Tele," from the 2023 album Careful! on Sub Pop Records On today's Song of the Day, Chicago-based quartet Deeper gets vulnerable. The track can be found on their latest album, Careful!, their third full-length overall and first for Sub Pop Records. “’Tele’ is a song without its shield,” the band said in a press release. “In past Deeper compositions, we would hide behind jerky guitars and abstract vocals telling a story only we could decipher. With ‘Tele’ we wanted to explore the vulnerability behind our music and give focus to the melody and mood of the song. Replacing guitars with synthesizers and drums with samplers we stumbled upon a new way to approach a Deeper song.” “We wanted to make a darker track that people could dance to,” they continued. “Since the foundation is built on a sampler beat, it’s the kind of song we could’ve only created with the limitations of the pandemic. The electronic components left more space for the rhythm, so our engineer Dave started playing with a busier bass line f