Live on KEXP

Indie rockers and former Tacoma locals Widowspeak released their sixth studio album The Jacket in Spring 2022 as a semi-concept album loosely telling the story a chain stitcher turned New York rocker. Vocalist Molly Hamilton relayed to Cheryl Waters in this episode of Live on KEXP the story behind the album before launching into four dreamy tracks off the record as well as professing their love fo...

Indie rockers and former Tacoma locals Widowspeak released their sixth studio album The Jacket in Spring 2022 as a semi-concept album loosely telling the story a chain stitcher turned New York rocker. Vocalist Molly Hamilton relayed to Cheryl Waters in this episode of Live on KEXP the story behind the album before launching into four dreamy tracks off the record as well as professing their love fo...

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul bring politics to the dancefloor but it’s not as depressing as you might think. Instead the heavy topics of racism and xenophobia are handled with humor and wit on the Belgian duo’s debut Topical Dancer  and their KEXP in-studio session is a hip-swinging celebration full of wry laughs and groovy basslines.  For an extra dose of international electronic grooves,...

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul bring politics to the dancefloor but it’s not as depressing as you might think. Instead the heavy topics of racism and xenophobia are handled with humor and wit on the Belgian duo’s debut Topical Dancer  and their KEXP in-studio session is a hip-swinging celebration full of wry laughs and groovy basslines.  For an extra dose of international electronic grooves,...

This summer, Minneapolis-based synth-pop band Poliça released their sixth studio album  Madness  via Memphis Industries Records. When they stopped by KEXP in July to play songs off the record, frontwoman Channy Leaneagh spoke with Cheryl Waters about the incorporation of a new band member of sorts, an anthropomorphic production tool designed by producer Ryan Olson and the sound-artist Seth Rosette...

This summer, Minneapolis-based synth-pop band Poliça released their sixth studio album  Madness  via Memphis Industries Records. When they stopped by KEXP in July to play songs off the record, frontwoman Channy Leaneagh spoke with Cheryl Waters about the incorporation of a new band member of sorts, an anthropomorphic production tool designed by producer Ryan Olson and the sound-artist Seth Rosette...

Chicago’s KAINA makes dreamy indie R&B songs that serve as affirmations of joy for the Guatamalen-Venezuelan artist. She released her impressive sophomore record It Was a Home back in March, featuring collaborations with Helado Negro, Sleater-Kinney, and Sen Morimoto. She stopped by KEXP over the summer to play a gorgeous set of songs off the record and spoke with Gabriel Teodros about coming...

Chicago’s KAINA makes dreamy indie R&B songs that serve as affirmations of joy for the Guatamalen-Venezuelan artist. She released her impressive sophomore record It Was a Home back in March, featuring collaborations with Helado Negro, Sleater-Kinney, and Sen Morimoto. She stopped by KEXP over the summer to play a gorgeous set of songs off the record and spoke with Gabriel Teodros about coming...

In the nearly 30-year lifespan of Arizona-bred band Calexico, they’ve incorporated a bevy of Latin sounds into their personal brand of rock and roll. As frontman Joey Burns told DJ Miss Ashley in this episode of Live on KEXP, “I felt like North America needs to get over itself and embrace diversity. Felt good to raise the middle finger to people who are uptight.”  Their new record, El Mirador , co...

In the nearly 30-year lifespan of Arizona-bred band Calexico, they’ve incorporated a bevy of Latin sounds into their personal brand of rock and roll. As frontman Joey Burns told DJ Miss Ashley in this episode of Live on KEXP, “I felt like North America needs to get over itself and embrace diversity. Felt good to raise the middle finger to people who are uptight.”  Their new record, El Mirador , co...

Since the release of his debut album Eulogy for Evolution fifteen years ago, Ólafur Arnalds has become something of a mainstream success, earning placements in films like The Hunger Games and Looper and receiving a Grammy nomination for his 2020 song with Bonobo “Loom.” All of this may be surprising considering he makes instrumental, piano-based soundscapes that don’t exactly scream “mainstream.”...

Since the release of his debut album Eulogy for Evolution fifteen years ago, Ólafur Arnalds has become something of a mainstream success, earning placements in films like The Hunger Games and Looper and receiving a Grammy nomination for his 2020 song with Bonobo “Loom.” All of this may be surprising considering he makes instrumental, piano-based soundscapes that don’t exactly scream “mainstream.”...

Canadian artist Rochelle Jordan has been making downtempo R&B for over a decade now, blending 90s pop, vintage UK house and garage, electronic and progressive hip-hop for a unique and sensual sound. During her in-studio session for KEXP earlier this summer, she spoke with Larry Mizell Jr. about the inspirations behind her new record, 'Play with the Changes,' and played a dazzling set of four s...

Canadian artist Rochelle Jordan has been making downtempo R&B for over a decade now, blending 90s pop, vintage UK house and garage, electronic and progressive hip-hop for a unique and sensual sound. During her in-studio session for KEXP earlier this summer, she spoke with Larry Mizell Jr. about the inspirations behind her new record, 'Play with the Changes,' and played a dazzling set of four s...

Chinese-born, Vancouver-based musician Yu Su makes propulsive and evocative electronic that intends to bridge the gap between her motherland and her new Pacific Northwest home. On this episode of Live on KEXP, the composer, DJ, and sound artist speaks to Mike Ramos about the significance of the title of her latest album,  Yellow River Blue , her tough journey towards feeling comfortable in her new...

Chinese-born, Vancouver-based musician Yu Su makes propulsive and evocative electronic that intends to bridge the gap between her motherland and her new Pacific Northwest home. On this episode of Live on KEXP, the composer, DJ, and sound artist speaks to Mike Ramos about the significance of the title of her latest album,  Yellow River Blue , her tough journey towards feeling comfortable in her new...

Formerly known as A Tribe Called Red, The Halluci Nation's Tim "2oolman" Hill and Ehren "Bear Witness" Thomas make what is often labelled as “powwow-step,” blending hip hop, reggae, moombahton, and dubstep with elements of First Nations music. The result is a type of dance music that’s powerful in its ability to be both fun and carry an important message. The duo chat with Gabriel Teodros about am...

Formerly known as A Tribe Called Red, The Halluci Nation's Tim "2oolman" Hill and Ehren "Bear Witness" Thomas make what is often labelled as “powwow-step,” blending hip hop, reggae, moombahton, and dubstep with elements of First Nations music. The result is a type of dance music that’s powerful in its ability to be both fun and carry an important message. The duo chat with Gabriel Teodros about am...

Brooklyn-based band Lucius blew into the KEXP Live Room back in June with a barrage of bedazzled instruments and beguiling harmonies. Speaking with Cheryl Waters, vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig spoke about how divorce, the pandemic, and their friendship with each other influenced their latest album Second Nature in the midst of a set of songs from the 2022 record. As an added bonus, we con...

Brooklyn-based band Lucius blew into the KEXP Live Room back in June with a barrage of bedazzled instruments and beguiling harmonies. Speaking with Cheryl Waters, vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig spoke about how divorce, the pandemic, and their friendship with each other influenced their latest album Second Nature in the midst of a set of songs from the 2022 record. As an added bonus, we con...

Back in May, Barbi Recanati made the massive journey from Buenos Aires to Seattle to not only play an incredible in-studio session but also to announce, alongside KEXP’s Albina Cabrera, that KEXP would be making a similar journey for a four-day music festival highlighting the diverse sounds of Argentina. That festival just wrapped on September 23rd but Recanati’s in-studio is getting some extra lo...

Back in May, Barbi Recanati made the massive journey from Buenos Aires to Seattle to not only play an incredible in-studio session but also to announce, alongside KEXP’s Albina Cabrera, that KEXP would be making a similar journey for a four-day music festival highlighting the diverse sounds of Argentina. That festival just wrapped on September 23rd but Recanati’s in-studio is getting some extra lo...

London-based singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya quickly became an artist to watch with her 2019 debut, Miss Universe . The album was a thrilling exploration of her widely varied influences, diverse upbringing, and raw talent. This year’s sophomore album, Painless , finds her settling into a more focused sound without sacrificing any of the fervent power and emotional range that made her stand out in...

London-based singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya quickly became an artist to watch with her 2019 debut, Miss Universe . The album was a thrilling exploration of her widely varied influences, diverse upbringing, and raw talent. This year’s sophomore album, Painless , finds her settling into a more focused sound without sacrificing any of the fervent power and emotional range that made her stand out in...

Since the late ‘90s, Chk Chk Chk have been making dancey disco-punk that, as KEXP’s Cheryl Waters puts it, has been “rewriting the rules of dance music for more than 20 years.” The band, currently made up of Nic Offer, Meah Pace, Mario Andreoni, Dan Gorman, Rafael Cohen, and Chris Egan, stopped by KEXP early this summer to play songs off their latest record Let It Be Blue . There, they spoke about...