It just wouldn’t be Airwaves without seeing one of Jófríður Ákadóttir’s many musical projects, and today we’re being treated to some of her new solo work, produced under the moniker JFDR, live from Kex Hostel in Reykjavík. A local songwriting prodigy, Jófríður has been playing music since she was 1…
Late November might seem like a crazy time to visit Helsinki, Finland, but not if you’re going for Slush 2016, a high-energy gathering of global tech heads focused on entrepreneurship and new developments and ideas in technology. This was the first year they had a full day of music programming, br…
It's reissue season, and this week brings us deluxe versions of Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, Tori Amos' Boys for Pele, Ween's live album, and R.E.M.'s now-classic Out of Time, whose deluxe edition features new liner notes, 19 never-before-heard demos, an unreleased 1991 live show, plus eight music…
Last Friday gave us a new LP from veteran hip-hop band A Tribe Called Quest, their first in 18 years, and their last, with the passing of founding member Phife Dawg due to complications with diabetes. KEXP Music Director Don Yates says, "It's a strong return to form of often-politically charged hip…
KEXP, Upstream Music Fest + Summit, and MoPOP have partnered together to present Mastering The Hustle: a new panel discussion with six annual events, tackling a different topic to help emerging artists make better decisions earlier in their careers. Throughout the series, we’ll be discussing everyt…
Every week, KEXP features a new local artist with an interview and suggested tracks for where to start. This week, we're featuring local producer/songwriter Lushloss, whose debut album Asking/Bearing came out on cassette last week and arrives digitally on July 28 via Hush Hush Records.
Leading up until the Upstream Music Fest + Summit, a Northwest regionally focused festival with over 300 acts, KEXP will be featuring a new local artist from the lineup with an interview and suggested tracks for where to start. Today’s post features Seattle jazz and neo soul songwriter Falon Sierra…
Leading up until the Upstream Music Fest + Summit, a Northwest regionally focused festival with over 300 acts, KEXP will be featuring a new local artist from the lineup with an interview and suggested tracks for where to start. Today’s post features Seattle indie rock songwriter Emma Lee Toyoda, pe…
The Maldives have been through it all. Since 2005, they've traversed the Seattle music scene as its continued to evolve, change, and contort itself in new directions. Their steadiness as contemplative folk rockers does not equate to a resistance to change. They still have acoustic guitars, steel gu…
As we celebrated on Friday with an exclusive interview, the new Father John Misty album is out now. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls it, "his finest to date, combining an orchestral folk-pop sound with self-aware, often-cutting and sometimes hilarious lyrics aimed at narcissism, hypocrisy, insta…
The KCMU reaction to this 1990 album by New York punks Alice Donut is, as often happens in college-radio-land, quite varied, from "their best yet" to "a step back." For what it's worth, the historical record, as far as my quick survey has revealed, seems to lean toward the opinion that Mule, the ba…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Mid…
It goes without saying that David Bowie was an inspiration to generations: his influence can be heard in every genre from grunge to new wave to classical. Bowie transcended every style over the past 50 years, and there will truly be no one else like him in music history. As KEXP pays tribute to Dav…
How appropriate that I should be blogging about this album on the very week KEXP (formerly KCMU)'s vinyl library is being disintegrated, the records removed from their dusty shelves and boxed up to be transported to the shiny, sexy new home. (I hope you guys are careful with those little paper labe…
When in Rome, amiright? Last week, TV on the Radio played the legendary First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN, so of course, they kicked out a cover of Prince's 1984 hit "Purple Rain." Watch fan shot video of the performance below, with Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe trading off lead vocals. [Consequence…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
If you're hoping to spend St. Patrick's Day doing some record shopping, you are indeed in luck, as there are some great new releases at the end of the rainbow this week. Highlights include the latest from Modest Mouse. KEXP Music Director Don Yates notes, "the latest album (and first in eight years…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche has shared his cover of Sia's "Chandelier."His mellow, melancholy approach adds a depth and stark contrast to the original. Lerche said he chose this song because he “was curious what might happen if a male singer sang those words of desperation and self-a…
