Kexp Song Of The Day

Cherry Ferrari - Call Me Up a 2023 self-released single. Cherry Ferrari is the project of teenagers Emma Wang and Oliver Crosby. While they’ve been in existence for roughly a year and currently have just two singles in their discography, those pair of songs are exciting enough to warrant paying attention to the young Seattle band. And people certainly have, if their slots on beloved local stages like the Crocodile and Barboza are any proof. Our Song of the Day, “Call Me Up,” is a slinky funk track with an infectious hook that’s impossible to not sway your hips to. Taking inspiration from disco funk greats and modern pop, Cherry Ferrari have a retro-futuristic sound that’s fresh, fun, and groovy. Cherry Ferrari will be competing in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! They’ll be performing on Saturday, March 11th alongside other up-and-coming local artists Stargazy Pie, Fight Milk, and Sadie Hale. Watch a snippet of a self-made video for “Call Me Up” and

JusMoni & Nappy Nina - Henny Lavender a 2023 self-released single. If you feel like you just saw a Song of the Day feature from Seattle-based singer/songwriter JusMoni and Oakland-born/Brooklyn-based emcee Nappy Nina, it’s because you did. Earlier this week, we shared the song “Prayer Hands” off Nappy Nina’s latest album Morning Due and today we’re sharing another collaboration between the two artists, “Henny Lavender.” Released in February alongside the drop of an exclusive candle and clothing collab with the fashion retailer and creative agency Paradice Avenue Souf, the song is dripping with erotic sensuality. While “Prayer Hands” leaned on Nappy Nina’s dexterous rhymes with JusMoni adding gorgeous vocal flourishes, “Henny Lavender” is a true collaboration. Backed by a sexy synth slow jam beat produced by 104Rog, JusMoni coos while Nappy Nina flows about their belief in love and desire for the carnal aspects of it. Watch JusMoni’s KEXP in-studio performance from 2018 and read the full post at KEXP.org.S

Rahill - "I Smile for E" from the 2023 album Flowers At Your Feet on Big Dada. With today's Song of the Day, Iranian-American artist Rahill shares a sneak peek at her forthcoming debut album, Flowers At Your Feet, out May 12th via Ninja Tune imprint Big Dada.  The track is a tribute to her late Aunt Elaheh. As Rahill writes on Instagram, "The rock of my fathers family. A beloved mother, daughter, sister, and wife. I wrote this song to celebrate and honor her, because the love shared and connection I still feel to her outshine the devastation of her departure from the physical realm. She’s still with me. May this song be a gentle reminder to anyone walking with that pain and grief." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nappy Nina - "Prayer Posture (feat. JusMoni)" from the 2023 album Mourning Due on LucidHaus. On her latest LP Mourning Due, Nappy Nina, as she puts it, "considers grief a currency and questions who is owed what." The Oakland-born/Brooklyn-based artist delivers vulnerable lyrics in her distinctive rapid-fire style, like a conversation with a friend who's had too many cups of coffee.  Mourning Due features a plethora of guests, including Moor Mother, Mavi, lojii, maassai, Cavalier, Stas Thee Boss, and on today's Song of the Day, JusMoni. The track is produced by Nina's frequent collaborator, Nelson Bandela. "Prayer Posture" explores the uncertainty of life. As Nina raps "Shit won't last on some quarter notes / I may laugh but I'm hoarding hope and reading my homies' horoscopes," JusMoni coos in a following line, "I feel like the worlds on fire / none of us know how to swim." It's a relatable emotion, that resonates throughout the whole reflective album.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://

Lavarr the Starr & Shabazz Palaces - "Glass Top Roof (The One)" from the 2023 album Illusions Ago on Glass Cane Records. Like many of Ishmael Butler's projects, this collaboration between Lavarr the Starr & Shabazz Palaces is shrouded in mystery. Their Bandcamp tells us they're based in Lagos, Nigeria, and that today's Song of the Day features "Lavarr sings of blissing, riding around with

Zari Alexandria - (Gotta Get) Over You from the 2022 self-released Congratulations, I'm Angry EP. 19-year-old Zari Alexandria has been honing her vocal abilities since childhood, performing in choir and musical theater and delving into songwriting at fourteen. After spending the past five years sharpening her skills and finding her sound, she released her debut EP Congratulations, I’m Angry in 2021. Made up of six tracks of emotionally-charged R&B/pop tracks, it’s an excellent introduction to an artist determined to climb her way to the top. Our Song of the Day is the EP’s lead single “(Gotta Get) Over You,” a heartbreak banger led by a synth piano line and a softly driving electronic drum beat. In it, Alexandria relays an all-too-familiar story for many of a romantic partner stringing her along and the final realization that she’s just gotta get over them because “You make me feel bad.” Alexandria will be competing in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound

Yves Tumor - Echolalia from the 2023 album Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) on Warp. Genre-bending visionary Yves Tumor is set to release their fourth full-length Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) on March 17th and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. After breaking through in a big way with their acclaimed 2020 record Heaven To A Tortured Mind, Tumor has been proving their rock god excellence through their expertly crafted blend of rock, psychedelia, R&B, and electronica as well as their larger-than-life androgynous stage persona. The second single off the album, released in February, is our Song of the Day “Echolalia.” Led by syncopated drumming and a buzzing guitar riff, the song churns with momentum as Tumor sings of an all-consuming kind of love to a person referred to as “God” and the madness a love like this provokes. Meanwhile, the spoken-word interlude advises against this. “If you say you love me

Petite Noir - "Simple Things (feat. Theo Croker)" from the 2023 album MotherFather on Roya. Petite Noir (real name: Yannick Ilunga) shares a message of empowerment on today's Song of the Day.  “’Simple Things’ is about taking back your power,” the Congolese artist states in a press release. “It’s a song for the people, to embrace harmony, reject division, and recognise that freedom comes from within.” The track features trumpet from Grammy-nominated, Floridian jazz musician Theo Croker, and will appear on his forthcoming sophomore LP MotherFather, out April 14th via Roya Records. It'll be his first new release since 2018's mini-album La Maison Noir / The Black House, and his 2020 singles “Alive” and “Through the Bad Times.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

M83 - "Amnesia" from the 2023 album Fantasy on Mute. Earlier this month, M83 shared six songs from their forthcoming ninth LP Fantasy, due out March 17th via Mute. In a press release, primary songwriter/frontman Anthony Gonzalez claims it'll be his most intimate release yet. "I wanted to be more present lyrically and vocally even if that was daunting at first. I thought if I could achieve that, this album will be more personal than those that came before.” He adds, “I wanted this record to be very impactful live. The idea was to come back with something closer to the energy of [his 2005 album] Before the Dawn Heals Us. The combination of guitars and synths is always in my music, but it’s maybe more present on this new record than on the previous ones.” You can experience the impact yourself when M83 stops in Seattle for two dates at Showbox SoDo on May 10th and 11th. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June McDoom - "On My Way" from the 2022 June McDoom EP on Temporary Residence Ltd. Singer/songwriter June McDoom taps into her family history for her music: her parents relocated from Jamaica to New York City in the 1970s. As an adult, she began listening to folk artists from that era, like Joan Baez and Judee Sill, vintage soul from The Delfonics and The Supremes, and reggae artists her family listened to, like Alton Ellis and Phyllis Dillo. On her self-titled debut EP, she infuses these influences through a mix of analog and digital recording techniques.  “‘On My Way’ is about making my way through life while sharing it with another person," she told Beats Per Minute. "About how grounding and scary it can be to share a life with someone, while both working to fulfill life’s passions and dreams. Living in NYC always feels like a journey just getting from one place to another and life can feel just the same.” "I recorded several versions of this song, with earlier versions at a slower tempo. Then one day I ha

Pilot Seat - Spinning Circles a 2022 self-released single. The Shoreline, WA-based band Pilot Seat only just started playing together in 2021 and released their first three singles in 2022 but have already made a name for themselves locally with a strong legion of loyal fans huddled closely to the stages they’ve played. The video for their second single “A Place Like Nowhere Else” has already racked up 2.7k views in the five months since its release which is nothing to scoff at for a band just at its beginning. Our Song of the Day, “Spinning Circles,” is their third and latest release and shows the band at their dreamiest. The song starts with a jangly guitar melody and softly cooed lyrics about the anxieties that plague the mind late at night with the song building and bursting with cathartic release, mimicking the moments of letting go. Pilot Seat will be competing in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! They’ll be performing on Saturday, February 25th

Spirit Award - Pushing Forward from the 2023 album The Fear on Share It Music. Seattle’s Spirit Award, the project of Daniel Lyon and currently with Chris Jordan of Sunny Day Real Estate on bass, has been fine-tuning his brand of doom-filled psychedelic indie for over seven years now, with his upcoming fourth studio album The Fear destined to be one of his best. While they may only have one single out, it’s an incredibly strong one and shows that Spirit Award are only getting better. “Pushing Forward” is a psychedelic journey into the recesses of the mind that technically refers to drugs but can be taken to a larger level. Unlike the long journey that drugs often take a mind through, the song breezes by with its layers of dreamy guitar play. While the song specifically references the paranoia post-drugs that requires one to either succumb to the fear or push forward through it, it has deeper layers for Lyon. “This idea for this song came about at a time of growth and realization, during some sleepless nights,

Thrillhouse - "Fatal Flaw," a 2022 self-released single. Brighton duo Thrillhouse channel the '80s (Echo & the Bunnymen, in particular) on their latest single, "Fatal Flaw." ("Hopefully it’s not toooo similar. Eek," they joked to Analogue Trash.) "We’ve never really settled on a sound," they continued. "Will probably be the cause of our eventual demise down the road. But it’s nice to write different types of songs otherwise the whole thing gets a bit stale, I think." With today's Song of the Day, Thrillhouse pens an ode to supportive friends. "It’s kinda like a love letter to people that stick by you when you’re having a crap time. So, more of a thanks to the people in my life that have been nice, rather than a particular moment." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screaming Females - "Brass Bell" from the 2023 album Desire Pathway on Don Giovanni Jersey trio Screaming Females continue to pave their own punk-rock path on their latest LP Desire Pathway, out now via Don Giovanni Records. Vocalist/guitarist Marissa Paternoster speaks to the album title, sharing, "Maybe there was one in your neighborhood growing up, a corner where everyone decided it took too long to go around, so they made their own pathway to cut through. There’s this cool unsaid group consciousness that comes together where everyone decides, this is the right way to go." With today's Song of the Day, she reflects on sacrifice, stating, "'Brass Bell’ is a song about surrendering your autonomy to something so overwhelmingly powerful you willingly relinquish your ambitions and self-worth. My intention was to draw an interesting dichotomy between the muscular nature of the song and the rather bleak, worried lyrics.” Screaming Females will be playing in Seattle on Wednesday, April 12th at Madame Lou's with Sm

Eyelids - "Colossal Waste of Light" from the 2023 album A Colossal Waste of Light on Jealous Butcher. Portland supergroup Eyelids have gotten even more powerful on their fourth LP, A Colossal Waste of Light, which will be released on March 10 via Jealous Butcher Records. Songwriters John Moen (of The Decemberists) and Chris Slusarenko (formerly of Guided by Voices) are now joined by Victor Krummenacher (of Camper Van Beethoven) alongside existing members Jonathan Drews (guitar) and Paulie Pulvirenti (drums). Their latest album is produced by R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, also a guest musician on the release. He'll be accompanying the band on March 11th when Eyelids plays the Sunset Tavern in Seattle.  Today's Song of the Day was released with a video from their longtime director John Clark; the band members are captured in papier-mâché, using figurines made by Scottish artist Jo Hamilton and bodies built by multi-talent Moen. "We still have that Little Rascals 'let's put on a show' with every Eyelids video," the band

King Zaae - Someplace Somewhere a 2022 self-released single. Seattle-based artist King Zaae may be young at only 17 but he already has a widespread discography of genre-fluid sounds in the six years he’s been making music when he started fiddling with making music on his iPhone at eleven years old. Since 2021, though, his music has really started to take shape, refining his production techniques for a fully formed yet ever-changing musical identity. His earlier mixtapes like I Hate This Town and debut album Being Sad is a Cliché saw King Zaae lean into the emo influences he gleamed from his auntie like My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights, and American Football. In recent singles (of which he’s released over a dozen since the start of 2022), he’s explored everything from R&B and funk to hyper-pop. Our Song of the Day, “Someplace Somewhere,” is a softly-strummed R&B ballad that leans on King Zaae’s smooth vocals while a warbling synth and a hypnotic electric guitar melody keep meter. The main element

Oddisee - Try Again from the 2023 album To What End on Outer Note Label. In January, rapper/producer Oddisee dropped his twelfth studio album, To What End, which explores human ambition, posing the question: “How far are you willing to go, and why?” This idea is expressed in our Song of the Day and early single “Try Again.” Backed by a funky groove, the DC-based emcee waxes about growing from the trials and tribulations he previously endured. "Couple wins, couple L’s / Took a hit but I prevailed/ Now I got the gist on how to flip it when I fail." Synth keys, rapid-firing drums, and a luscious guitar lick round out the infectious dance jam as Oddisee encourages listeners to not let their losses define them, proclaiming "All this time you spent / All that love you gave/ Please don’t walk away / Try again.” Watch Oddisee’s stirring Live from KEXP at Home performance and read the full post at KEXP.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad - "Fire In Detroit", a 2023 single on Jazz Is Dead. Launched in 2020, the Jazz is Dead series is an ongoing series from producers Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, aiming to elevate some legends of the genre with original collaborations. For the latest edition, the guys team up with trombonist Phil Ranelin and saxophonist Wendell Harrison, founders of the '70s Detroit-based label and collective, Tribe Records. Tribe Records was more than just an independent record label; it was a community-run organization that tackled all aspects of an album release, including promotion, distribution, and publishing. Their message was "music is the healing force of the universe," and it's a motto that Jazz is Dead keeps alive with their own releases.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ivy Sole - "Don't Hide (feat. Kingsley Ibeneche)" a 2023 single on Ivy Sole LLC / Venice Music Candid, the latest album from Philly-based Pan-Africanist artist Ivy Sole, is presented as triptych, inspired by her parents' love story and how it shaped her own views on relationships.  As she told Metal Magazine, "How the story unfolds in this album is not identical to how it transpired in the lives of my parents, or even in my life, but this much is true – Candid helped me love myself and love my family in ways I could never have imagined and confirmed that our enemy is not each other but the world we live in. How could I not talk about that when the world has only gotten more deadly for all of us?" Today's Song of the Day finds Sole reuniting with previous collaborator Kingsley Ibeneche, a singer/songwriter/dancer in his own right. Watch them perform in the music video below, directed by Sole and filmed by Wren Rene.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com

C.S. Armstrong - "MA EMILY (feat. Rapsody)" from the 2022 self-released album THE MAKINGS OF ME. During the three years of lockdown, Houston, Texas-based artist C.S. Armstrong didn't release any original music. But the period gave him time to reflect. "The pandemic allowed me to sit with myself" he continues. "God told me to began producing, with not much knowledge I started to learn how to produce. I used God and my ears, I followed both until I reached this project that I’m so happy to finally give you." THE MAKINGS OF ME was produced by Armstrong with additional production by Miles James. The eight-song EP ranges from hip-hop to blues and gospel. As Armstrong calls it, it's a "journey through the things that made me who I am today." Today's Song of the Day is one of the most personal songs on the new release, inspired by his great-great-grandmother, Ma Emily. (In fact, the album cover photo was taken at her home.) Armstrong talked to our own DJ Gabriel Teodros about the song's origins: The song came about