Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Mike Ramos, in honor of Pushing Boundaries, is "Calamansi dreams" by Sendai Era, from the 2023 self-released album Kalayaan.
This week's Songs of the Day were selected by DJ Mike Ramos, in honor of Pushing Boundaries, KEXP’s celebration of Asian and Pasifika stories through music, taking place on-air and online throughout the month of May.
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,” made in collaboration with acidgarage, below.
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Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
