Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder share brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP's rotation. These reviews help our DJs decide on what they want to play. See what we added this week below (and on our Charts page), including new releases from Kendrick Lamar, Kim Deal, Amber Mark, and more.
Various Artists - TRAИƧA (Red Hot Org)
This extraordinary new project from the music production nonprofit Red Hot brings together over 100 artists, each contributing their unique sounds, perspectives, and song choices — vibrant and diverse, much like the spectrum of gender itself. Broken into eight chapters — Womb of the Soul, Survival, Dark Night, Awakening, Grief, Acceptance, Liberation, and Reinvention — the album showcases trans and cisgender visionaries uniting to celebrate and support the trans community at a time when their very existence is under attack. With a dynamic mix of covers and originals, the project speaks to the beauty, resilience and strength of trans individuals. Producer Massima Bell notes: "The stakes have never been higher. We're seeing a rise in anti-trans hate and vitriol that is particularly being spewed in the United States. I am a trans person from Iowa, one of the states that signed into law a bill that prohibits access to gender-affirming care. It is clearly, materially, a terrifying time." –CS
Kendrick Lamar - GNX (pgLang/Interscope)
To quote our own Reeves Richards, “Oh, ok, god damn.” That’s the kind of response we can only hope for when a surprise Kendrick album drops – and praise be, Mr. Lamar DELIVERED once again. With bold production, killer beats, exceptional storytelling, inventive flows and impeccable hooks, GNX is all killer, no filler from today’s top-tier MC. Time to re-work those "Best of 2024” lists, folks. –CS
Kim Deal - Nobody Loves You More (4AD)
The debut solo album from Kim Deal, frontwoman of The Breeders and original bassist and co-vocalist in Pixies, is a true triumph. Nobody Loves You More strikes a perfect balance between raw and tender, hard and soft, melodic and angular. With infectious hooks, fuzzy guitars, booming drums and a spectacular, expressive vocal performance, this album delivers a powerful punch. –CS
Amber Mark - Loosies EP (PMR Records/Interscope)
The latest project from NYC-based Amber Mark is a playful exploration of disco, R&B and pop, delivering a vibrant collection of bona fide BOPS. Loosies highlights her versatility across multiple genres, with her one-of-a-kind vocals taking center stage. This EP is the perfect tease to hold fans over until her next full-length album drops next year. –CS
Ella Thompson - Ripple on the Wing (HopeStreet Recordings)
The second solo album from this Australian singer/songwriter is another strong set of nostalgic R&B/soul songs steeped in a smoky '60s romanticism that’s enhanced by her gorgeous honeyed vocals and her band’s lush, cinematic, analog-rich backdrops. -AR
Father John Misty - Mahashmashana (Sub Pop)
The sixth studio album from Josh Tillman – aka Father John Misty – is a grandiose, orchestral rock opus. Featuring dramatic swells, a theatrical vocal performance and dynamic arrangements with strings, keys, horns and woodwinds, Mahashmashana (which translates from Sanskrit as “great cremation ground”) showcases Tillman’s vivid lyrics grappling with themes of life, death and rebirth. The result is a timeless, ornate collection that stands among Father John Misty’s finest work to date. –CS
Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes (Polydor)
The fourth studio album from UK-based singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka is a deeply intimate and introspective work. On Small Changes, he strips back his arrangements to highlight the more delicate side of R&B and soul, seamlessly blending in elements of jazz and folk rock. His buttery vocals float effortlessly over intricately layered guitars, strings, soft percussion, keys and backing vocals, creating a reflective, emotionally rich listening experience. –CS
Rogê - Curyman II (Diamond West Record)
The eighth studio album from Rio de Janeiro’s Rogê is an electrifying collection of soulful Tropicália that both honors Brazilian traditions and pushes those sounds into a fresh, contemporary space. Curyman II picks up where its predecessor, Curyman, left off, with the now LA-based artist once again working with arranger Arthur Verocai. The album is a deeply collaborative effort, featuring rich, complex compositions, breezy grooves and captivating melodies, resulting in a lush and mesmerizing delight. –CS
SunDog - About You (Dog Yard Records)
The third album from Anchorage, AK-based trio SunDog is a captivating mix of indie rock, psych and grunge, all wrapped in a pop sensibility. About You features expertly crafted, irresistibly catchy tracks that feel both expansive and intimate, with expressive lyrics, excellent guitar work and driving percussion. –CS
two blinks, i love you - ep 2 (Heist or Hit)
The second EP from this project of Liverpool, UK-based singer-songwriter Liam Brown is an excellent set of addictive indie pop with a rugged lo-fi charm. Full of soaring hooks, engaging lyrics, and an energy with a magnetic pulse and immediacy, ep 2 boasts a refreshing, invigorating indie sound and a few absolutely infectious singles. -AR
Beach Vacation - Let Go (16 Entertainment)
On his latest EP as Beach Vacation, Seattle’s Tabor Rupp continues to craft sweet, shimmery, catchy guitar-pop full of gauzy melodies, expressive guitars, dreamy textures, and steady rhythms. -AR
Dorothea Paas - Think of Mist (Telephone Explosion)
The second solo album from this Toronto-based musician who has collaborated with U.S. Girls, Jennifer Castle, and Badge Epoque Ensemble is a beautiful set of lush, prismatic, dreamy folk songs with a sophisticated, ornate, baroque sheen. -AR
Gold Connections - Fortune (Well Kept Secret)
The sophomore album from Gold Connections is a supremely catchy set of coming-of-age power pop and indie rock. Will March and cousin Fraser Wright, along with fellow New Orleans band Motel Radio (Eric Lloyd and Andrew Pancamo), craft memorable bops with delicious guitar lines, emotive vocals and a solid rhythm section, resulting in a vivid, gothic soundscape for the ages. –CS
Heavy Moss - Dead Slow (p(doom))
The debut full-length album from the new collaborative project of Australian musicians Sam Ingles, Bec Goring, Kyle Tickell and Lucas Harwood (of King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard) is a wonderfully vibey collection of lo-fi psych pop. Boasting unencumbered, jovial arrangements and plenty of charm, ‘Dead Slow’ offers listeners a groovy, fuzzy, dreamy soundscape. –CS
PyPy - Sacred Times (Goner)
On their second album–and their first in over a decade–Montreal garage-rock outfit PyPy return in prime form. Sacred Times blends punk, psych, noise, art-rock, and SO much more, delivering a wild ride full of hook-laden, high-energy tracks that are sure to shake anyone out of a funk. –CS
Raissa - Cute Threat EP (Neon Gold)
The new EP from LA-based Raissa features infectious, bouncy pop gems that strike a perfect balance between polish and grit. With her distinctive vision, Cute Threat establishes her as an emerging talent on the rise. About the EP, she says: “Cute threat is about contrast and contradiction.It’s about being deceptively capable and powerful in spite of how you may be packaged. It’s relishing the fact people don’t see you coming and finding freedom in that. It’s a playful and braggadocious celebration of self”. –CS
Sam Blasucci - Real Life Thing (Innovative Leisure/Calico Discos)
On his sophomore solo album, Mapache’s Sam Blasucci dishes up an endearing slice of nostalgia. Blending ‘70s singer-songwriter, Laurel-canyon folk-pop and Motown soul, Real Life Thing transcends time and place, offering a supremely solid collection of contemplative songs that carry both an emotional weight and an effortless, light quality. –CS
Sam Lynch - Outline (Birthday Cake Records)
The sophomore album from Vancouver’s Sam Lynch is a captivating collection of melancholic “wallflower hush-rock” steeped in emotion, wanderlust and the allure of the unknown. Subtle and intricate, yet brimming with hooks and intrigue, the songs on Outline are built with beautifully layered guitars, keys, clarinet and percussion, drawing the listener in for the journey. –CS
The Green Child - Looks Familiar (Upset the Rhythm)
The third album from this Melbourne/Naarm-based band led by the core founding duo of Raven Mahon (Grass Widow, Rocky) and Mikey Young (Total Control, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Shutdown 66) is another solid set of dreamy, kaleidoscopic, cerebral psych-pop with touches of post-punk, art-pop, and Krautrock. -AR
Tinariwen - Idrache (Traces Of The Past) (Wedge)
Pioneers of Tuareg rock and desert blues, Tinariwen return with a collection of newly unearthed rarities, including four previously unreleased tracks and early demos. From intimate and meditative to raw and rocking, Idrache (Traces Of The Past) showcases this legendary outfit’s immense musical prowess. –CS
cistern - New Standard (Meat Machine)
This Squamish, BC-based four-piece band follows up their January 2024 debut album Head Full of Questions with a promising EP of raw, wiry, scrappy post-punk and shape-shifting garage rock. -AR
Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder share brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP's rotation. See what we added this week, from 070 Shake, Fazerdaze, _BY.ALEXANDER, and more.
Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder share brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP's rotation. See what we added this week, from Negative Shawdy, Adrian Younge, Freak Slug, and more.
Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder share brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP's rotation. See what we added this week, from ALVILDA, Flying Lotus, The Cure, and more.
