Live on KEXP

On the show this time, it’s the northern African desert-blues of Etran de l’Aïr. The group is a family band from the city of Agadez in Niger, who got their start playing weddings. They play guitar-driven desert blues - made for dancing. They sing in chorus, in Tamasheq, filling the air with glorious celebratory Saharan music. Their latest album is 100% Sahara Guitar  availabl...

On the show this time, it’s the danceable singalong punk-rock of Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. They released their debut single in 2003. They followed it up with “Take Me Out” in early 2004. After a slow start, the song caught on, partly thanks to heavy rotation on MTV. They were awarded the Mercury Prize, and their debut album sold millions of copies. They’ve been on a st...

On the show this time, it’s the danceable singalong punk-rock of Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. They released their debut single in 2003. They followed it up with “Take Me Out” in early 2004. After a slow start, the song caught on, partly thanks to heavy rotation on MTV. They were awarded the Mercury Prize, and their debut album sold millions of copies. They’ve been on a st...

On the show this time, it's the heavy-rock of alt-metal pioneers, Helmet. Helmet was formed in 1989, in New York City. Guitarist Page Hamilton was there to study Jazz at the Manhattan School of Music. He auditioned for and then joined Band of Susans. He brought a few of his own songs to the band, but even though they liked the songs, they were not a fit for the Susans. There was nothing to do but...

On the show this time, it's the heavy-rock of alt-metal pioneers, Helmet. Helmet was formed in 1989, in New York City. Guitarist Page Hamilton was there to study Jazz at the Manhattan School of Music. He auditioned for and then joined Band of Susans. He brought a few of his own songs to the band, but even though they liked the songs, they were not a fit for the Susans. There was nothing to do but...

This week we're re-airing a session from Ya Tseen from 2021. Activist, thinker, contemporary artist, and musician Nicholas Galanin entwines his experience as an Alaskan indigenous person and passion for social and environmental justice with falling in love and the birth of a child for his debut album as Ya Tseen. Titled Indian Yard , the record is a collaboration between himself and the many artis...

This week we're re-airing a session from Ya Tseen from 2021. Activist, thinker, contemporary artist, and musician Nicholas Galanin entwines his experience as an Alaskan indigenous person and passion for social and environmental justice with falling in love and the birth of a child for his debut album as Ya Tseen. Titled Indian Yard , the record is a collaboration between himself and the many artis...

On the show this time, it’s the Indonesian funk of Ali. Ali formed in 2021, playing 70s soul, disco, and afrobeat with elements of Arabic and middle eastern music. They released their first single “Dance, Habibi” that same year. They followed up with their debut album Malaka  in 2023 on Anukara records. Embracing the connection between Indonesian and Arabic culture, they exp...

On the show this time, it’s the Indonesian funk of Ali. Ali formed in 2021, playing 70s soul, disco, and afrobeat with elements of Arabic and middle eastern music. They released their first single “Dance, Habibi” that same year. They followed up with their debut album Malaka  in 2023 on Anukara records. Embracing the connection between Indonesian and Arabic culture, they exp...

On the show this time, it’s the Belarusian synth-pop of Molchat Doma. Molchat Doma is a post-punk, synth-pop, new-wave electronic band from Minsk, Belarus. They formed in 2017, self-releasing their debut album S krysh nashikh domov , which translates to “From the Roofs of Our Houses." It was later picked up and re-released by the German label Detriti Records, along with their second al...

On the show this time, it’s the Belarusian synth-pop of Molchat Doma. Molchat Doma is a post-punk, synth-pop, new-wave electronic band from Minsk, Belarus. They formed in 2017, self-releasing their debut album S krysh nashikh domov , which translates to “From the Roofs of Our Houses." It was later picked up and re-released by the German label Detriti Records, along with their second al...

On the show this time, it’s the danceable darkwave of Danish musician - Trentemøller. Anders Trentemøller is a Danish musician based in Copenhagen. His debut album, The Last Resort , was released in 2006, and he has continued putting out new music roughly every three years since. His sound is eclectic, spanning genres like trip-hop, goth, shoegaze, indie rock, and pop. He has r...

On the show this time, it’s the danceable darkwave of Danish musician - Trentemøller. Anders Trentemøller is a Danish musician based in Copenhagen. His debut album, The Last Resort , was released in 2006, and he has continued putting out new music roughly every three years since. His sound is eclectic, spanning genres like trip-hop, goth, shoegaze, indie rock, and pop. He has r...

On the show this time, it’s the angular psych-punk of Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Frankie & The Witch Fingers are a relentlessly touring, high-bar musicianship, DIY punk band. They originally formed in Bloomington, Indiana, but are now fully ensconced in the burgeoning psych-rock scene in Los Angeles. Their latest album,  Trash Classic , is available on Greenway Records. Their ow...

On the show this time, it’s the angular psych-punk of Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Frankie & The Witch Fingers are a relentlessly touring, high-bar musicianship, DIY punk band. They originally formed in Bloomington, Indiana, but are now fully ensconced in the burgeoning psych-rock scene in Los Angeles. Their latest album,  Trash Classic , is available on Greenway Records. Their ow...

On the show this time, Thailand meets West Africa through the electrifying drumming of Salin. Salin was born and raised in Thailand. She started out learning music on the piano, but switched to drums partly because the drum teacher was fun, and partly because she was listening to metal. She got good! Good enough to get work as a session drummer for Sony Thailand. She moved to the United States for...

On the show this time, Thailand meets West Africa through the electrifying drumming of Salin. Salin was born and raised in Thailand. She started out learning music on the piano, but switched to drums partly because the drum teacher was fun, and partly because she was listening to metal. She got good! Good enough to get work as a session drummer for Sony Thailand. She moved to the United States for...

On the show this time, it's the dynamic experimental music of Japanese band MONO. MONO has been making music together since 1999. Their sound is guitar-driven, and anchored by a propulsive, hypnotic rhythm section. The music has the harmonic richness of film scores, and they have played with orchestras over the years. Other influences include minimalism, Sonic Youth style noise, My Bloody Valentin...

On the show this time, it's the dynamic experimental music of Japanese band MONO. MONO has been making music together since 1999. Their sound is guitar-driven, and anchored by a propulsive, hypnotic rhythm section. The music has the harmonic richness of film scores, and they have played with orchestras over the years. Other influences include minimalism, Sonic Youth style noise, My Bloody Valentin...

On the show this time, it's the Canadian hardcore dance-punk of Death From Above 1979. Death From Above 1979 make a magnificent amount of noise for two people. They released their first full-length album  You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine  in 2004. They then broke up in 2006, citing creative differences. It wasn’t until 2011 that the band officially reunited and played show...

On the show this time, it's the Canadian hardcore dance-punk of Death From Above 1979. Death From Above 1979 make a magnificent amount of noise for two people. They released their first full-length album  You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine  in 2004. They then broke up in 2006, citing creative differences. It wasn’t until 2011 that the band officially reunited and played show...

On the show this time, it's the fairy goth-psych of Swedish band Den Der Hale. Den Der Hale is a Swedish post-psych band, based in Malmö, which is right across the water from Copenhagen in Denmark. There’s an amazing bridge and a tunnel between the cities known as the Øresund Link. Depending if you are translating from Danish or Swedish, the band name means “That Tail&rdquo...

On the show this time, it's the fairy goth-psych of Swedish band Den Der Hale. Den Der Hale is a Swedish post-psych band, based in Malmö, which is right across the water from Copenhagen in Denmark. There’s an amazing bridge and a tunnel between the cities known as the Øresund Link. Depending if you are translating from Danish or Swedish, the band name means “That Tail&rdquo...

On the show this time is the Jordanian Habibi-Disco of crooner Ziyad Al-Samman. Ziyad Al-Samman is a Jordanian singer, based in London. He makes danceable pop music that combines myriad influences including disco, psych-rock, 50s rock n roll, and the sounds of the Middle East. He’s not afraid to get romantic with it, inviting us all to dance and flirt, maybe even get a little naughty. For th...

On the show this time is the Jordanian Habibi-Disco of crooner Ziyad Al-Samman. Ziyad Al-Samman is a Jordanian singer, based in London. He makes danceable pop music that combines myriad influences including disco, psych-rock, 50s rock n roll, and the sounds of the Middle East. He’s not afraid to get romantic with it, inviting us all to dance and flirt, maybe even get a little naughty. For th...