Known as the jazz singer for the hip-hop generation, José James kicked off 2024 with an MBE premiere of “Saturday Night (Need You Now).” Now up for grabs as Today’s Top Tune, dig in for this smooth jam written in tribute to some of James’ musical heroes, including Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson. Mark your calendar, the full length 1978 drops on April 5. 

German octet Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band power their new track “Grilled” with some serious muscle provided by two(!) drummers. Whether it’s funk from Africa or America, their approach to steel pan pleasure is intoxicating. We’re excited by the premise of their self-titled LP BRSB, set for release on March 8, as the band will unveil a slew of hip hop covers alongside alluring originals.  

A giant in the classical minimalist movement, Philip Glass revisits some of his most loved pieces on his latest compilation, Solo.  Today, on his 87th birthday, we witness the music from the very piano which helped create some of his most prominent works as he absorbed the energy of the city in his NYC apartment. ‘Opening” is a widely revered composition from the 1982 album Glassworks. 

Columbian band Diamante Eléctrico debuts a shift in their sound via the new track “Porcelana,” an upbeat rendering of melancholy from the four time Latin Grammy winners. 

Five-time Grammy Award-winning vocal powerhouse Brittany Howard has a new solo album coming, WHAT NOW, her sophomore release following the highly-acclaimed debut Jamie.   Staying in the personal realm, “Prove It To You” unleashes forthright lyrics with an urgent dance beat. 

A seasoned singer-songwriter on the LA music scene, Leslie Stevens returns with a collection of new songs for her self-titled third solo album set for release late February. Stevens spreads her wings with her new band on the latest release, sliding from her folk roots into new territory as you’ll hear on “Big Time, Sucka.” 

Based in Madrid, psych-Krautrock band TUTUPATU share the first track from their forthcoming debut album, IV. To get in the right headspace to record, the band secured an underground location and set up a private studio, locking themselves in for a 72-hour recording session with their 32 tracks rolling non-stop. Lights dimmed, volume to 11 birthed “Tangerina,” one of the five tracks to be released on Valentine’s Day. 

“I’m cousin to the world,” confesses Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy. “I don’t feel like I’m a blood relation, but maybe I’m a cousin by marriage,” which is probably the idea that lead to the title of Wilco’s latest studio album, Cousins. One of KCRW’s all time favorite bands, they have visited our studios a handful of times, and we’re excited that they return to our airwaves tomorrow for a full set of classic tracks and songs from their new album, including this beaute, “Meant To Be.” 

Visionary artist Yussef Dayes released his debut solo studio album Black Classical Music in 2023. It’s a stunning collection of 19 compositions, anchored by Dayes’ on drums, Rocco Palladino on bass, plus a bevy of talented musicians. We gravitate toward the rich title track, featuring tasty solos by Venna on saxophone and Charlie Stacey on keys/synths. Prepare to fall in love with today’s jazz! 

Having released a stand out album in 2023, Chronicles of a Diamond, Black Pumas are on the short list with a Grammy nomination in the Best Rock Performance category, and were among KCRW’s Top 30 Most Played Albums and Songs of 2023. We can’t predict the future, but we can share a soulful track called “Ice Cream (Pay Phone)” with its hypnotic flavors mixed with rhythm and rhyme. 

Jerome Matthews Jr. is a singer/songwriter and producer based in Chicago, and has had the distinction of contributing to Michelle Obama's compilation album. We’ll keep him on our radar, as he hasn’t released a debut album yet, but have fallen in love with his latest single, “just a thought (I love you).”

In honor of Dry January, let’s turn to a song about sobriety, written by Eric Hirschberg and featuring an artist close to our hearts, Aloe Blacc. “I Love Not Drinking” celebrates the joys of life sans alcohol, yet it’s not a song about addiction or getting clean. Take a moment to listen to beats created entirely from bartender sounds, clinking glasses, cocktail shakers, and the sound of ice cubes! 

British soulstress Alice Russell is back with a gorgeous new track, “Rain.” It’s her first release in over a decade and seems very personal. A song about reflection is apropos as we start a new year. 

Let’s check in with one of our 2022 finalists from our Young Creators Project, Nathan Horowitz, a high school student here in Los Angeles. Under the moniker Ruler of Program, he began his musical pursuits while taking an audio production class in middle school. Now, at 15, Horowitz has released his sophomore album “Environments.” We are keeping an eye on this artist’s uplifting electronic evolution as we listen to “Breathless.” 

Guitar guru Charlie Hunter teams up with the singer Victoria Victoria for resilience and redemption after a dose of  personal existential angst in the form of a pop-punk anthem on “Peanut M&M’s. 

As we close out 2023, a year of many ups and downs, we turn to a trio of LA royals. On “Facing The Sideways Rain,” multi-instrumentalist Nate Mercereau teams up with saxophonist Kamasi Washington and percussionist Carlos Niño, fresh off their involvement with André 3000’s excellent album New Blue Sun. 

Pillars of West Coast soul Orgōne have been making beautiful music together for more than a decade. And they’ve been doing double duty in 2023 as the studio and the touring band for the artist behind KCRW’s Album of the Year, Say She She. There is a lot to look forward to in 2024 as we await their new album Chimera, slated for release on Feb 9. The Los Angeles-based outfit offers gritty sounds on “Lies & Games.”

A favorite Inland Empire outfit, Brainstory have been putting the finishing touches on their sophomore full-length album with producer and labelmate El Michels Affair, due out in 2024.  While we wait with bated breath, let’s take a taste of what’s to come as we drop the needle on “Nobody But You.” 

The highly-talented Inara George has collaborated with Dave Grohl and Van Dyke Parks, has had Jackson Browne write a song for her, and is one half of the duo The Bird and the Bee (along with nine-time Grammy-winning songwriter Greg Kurstin). The daughter of Little Feat’s Lowell George, Inara is no stranger to the music world and specifically the  sonic tapestry that makes up Los Angeles. It’s no surprise, then, that components of her community arise in her work. “Ventura Blvd.” has a personal narrative from a rare native. 

Grammy-winning Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter Alex Cuba didn’t have the tradition of Christmas while growing up back home in Cuba, but it’s nonetheless a holiday close to his heart since he and his wife decided to get married on the day back in 1995. 

Not gonna lie, we just freaking love pioneering producer, DJ, and composer DJ Shadow and have been spinning his projects for years. Shadow’s eighth studio album, Action Adventure, continues the artist’s evolution through a swath of 14 mostly instrumental tracks, with a couple of exceptions including the synth-heavy flow called “You Played Me.”  Get into the mind of DJ Shadow: Action Adventure KCRW interview from October 2023.

Sibling duo William G. Hardy and Olivia Hardy formed Wasia Project in 2019, sharing their mixed British-Asian perspective alongside their outstanding classical chops for quiet-yet-sweeping DIY sensibilities. 2023 has been a banner year for them as emerging artists on the rise, and they’ve announced their first UK tour for 2024. We hope they get to jump the pond so we can experience their song “Remember When,” lush with bold and poignant lyrics.  

Eddington Again is an artist that spent some time on KCRW’s Top 30 charts this year, and whose album Naomi9 made Travis Holcombe’s Top 10 albums with the song “Cake Code,” among his very favorites this year. Check out more of our DJ picks at Best Of 2023. 

2019 started out as a year full of optimism for Zach Condon, best known by his moniker Beirut. But after suffering from persistent throat issues, Condon was unsure of his musical future. 

You might have come across a sweet viral hit recently called  “If I Were A Fish” by corook featuring her partner Olivia Barton, which has been turned into a children’s book. The Nashville based singer/songwriter has recently shared a new five-song EP, Big Sad, capturing several epiphanies she’s experienced in the last couple of years. There are songs about insecurity, avoidance, and being embarrassingly serious, but on “Sonic,” Barton leans into love instead of away from it. 

The final song written and produced by Peter Gabriel for his new album i/o, “Live and Let Live” is also the last song on the recording. A perfect way to end the album, the song is about forgiveness, tolerance, and optimism. As we head toward the end of 2023, we turn to the Bright-Side Mix by Mark “Spike” Stent, the English producer who has worked with everyone from Beyonce to Yeah Yeah Yeahs. 

While they are not related, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig create beautifully kindred harmonies together as the indie-pop duo Lucius, and were hand-picked to grace the stage at the Hollywood Bowl when Brandi Carlile brought Joni Mitchell out to join them.  The first new music since their 2022 album Second Nature, “Stranger Danger” is written in response to the idea that “humans have imagined a backup plan — a ‘savior’ to forgive us, to save us, to lean on… for ourselves, if and when things go wrong, but who/what/where is the backup plan for Mother Earth?”

A progressive collective of jazz and hip-hop heads hailing from Virginia, Butcher Brown says their new album Solar Music, “has something for everyone under the sun.”  Assimilating a rich collection of bending sonic influences, take a sip of “No Way Around It.” 

An LA treasure, Mia Doi Todd can be heard on André 3000’s recent album New Blue Sun, but she’s also released a beautiful new single, “Island in the Storm” along with her band. 

Birthed in Mexico in 2017, Reyna Tropical explores “intuition, transition, connection, and continuation — a celebration of spiritual survival pulsing with the beat of all things tropical.”

Yard Act, the art-rocking quartet from Leeds, gave us their sophomore album Where’s My Utopia? earlier in the year, co-produced by the band and Gorillaz’ Remi Kabaka Jr. 

Two critically acclaimed and KCRW favorite artists are joining forces. The French band Phoenix teams with the falsetto lending tenor of Mexican neo psych-rock Zoé frontman León Larregui for a sleek and sophisticated Spanish/English mix on “Artefact.” Voilà, it’s buenisimo! 

Areli Castro aka KiNG MALA recently shared her new EP Spilt Milk and revealed “it is a project full of songs I have loved for years now. A culmination of two years of writing, and experimenting, and gathering all the things I’ve loved into one project. It’s the vault, it's all the secrets I’ve kept for so long.” Take a listen to the soft vulnerability of “i only smoke to feel bad” to know that it is true.

A deft vocalist with a sensual sound, LA-based Carly Bond — who’s music is heard under the moniker Meernaa — is not only a songwriter but is also a sound engineer and partner at Altamira Sound studios. Meernaa’s sophomore album So Far So Good was released earlier this year, and on it you’ll find “As Many Birds Flying;” one of the songs performed as she recently made her debut at School Night to the delight of the crowd. 

It’s Friday and we’re heading into the home stretch for 2023, so let’s kick-start December with a banger from Quantic. For his disco-leaning ten-song album Dancing While Falling, recorded in his Brooklyn studio, Quantic lets rhythm meet-and-mingle with soul on “Stand Up.” 

Jazz vocalist, pianist, and composer Sarah McKenzie teams up with Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, cellist Jacques Morelenbaum, and drummer Peter Erskine (known for his work with Weather Report) on her new album Without You, spotlighting her performance at The Blue Note jazz club in Rio where she met Jacques and Romero. The album shines a light on a batch of Antonio Carlos Jobim songs and a few original compositions, including her song  “Quoi, Quoi, Quoi.”

Conjuring a classic yesteryear sound, the formidable whistler Molly Lewis had an equally formidable 2023: She was featured on the soundtrack to Barbie, lent her talents to fashion houses including Gucci and Hermes, and supported Weyes Blood on tour. 

Today we are celebrating songwriter and guitar wizard Christone “Kingfish” Ingram’s latest Grammy nomination, this time in the Contemporary Blues category, for his stunningly recorded new double live album Live In London. A career-defining release, the record culls from his Grammy Award-winning record 662 and his Grammy-nominated debut Kingfish. We choose the head-melting vocals and tasty soulful undulations of “She Calls Me Kingfish.” 

A prolific electronic pioneer based in Los Angeles, and half of the duo Wajatta with Reggie Watts, John Tejada just released his 15th solo album, Resound. The record marks a new direction in Tejada’s sound, taking a noisier, lofi route to express his emotion. This sonic destination weaves screens of feedback and dirty, delayed textures with classic analog drum machines. A tight 36 minutes of essential tracks, “Simulacrum” is the lead single serving as a prelude to the compositions that follow. 

Meet CELEBS, a sibling trio hailing from a town of less than 300 on the northern tip of the West Fjords of Iceland. In the dead of winter, after an intense discussion about their love of live music back in 2019, they made a pact to start a party band. Their aim was to offer a place of refuge from everyday worries and forget your troubles at the door; once inside, fans surrender to the experience of euphoria and fun. They’ve stayed true to their aim. 

A rising star on the Icelandic music scene, singer-songwriter Bríet creates most of her work with her longtime musical partner, writer, and producer Ásgeir. Their sexy duet “Venus” took years to perfect and revolves around the idea of waking up after an intimate evening to realize you are in love.  

A pioneer in New Classical music, Hauschka, whose score won him an Oscar for All Quiet On The Western Front this year, doesn’t restrict his solo experimental work to the confines of piano keys, but rather plays within its frame and strings. You can hear how playful yet heady his sound is on “Invention” from his recently-released album Philanthropy.  

You may be familiar with Marketa Irglova from her work with Glen Hansard in the film Once, or from their collaboration as the Academy Award-winning duo The Swell Season. Over a decade ago, Marketa relocated to Iceland and now calls it home.

A young and talented singer/songwriter, KÁRI, began studying classical piano at the age of seven and branched out to jazz and improvisation by the time he turned 10. After graduating from Reykjavik College of Music and attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, Kari became an award-winning artist with an uncanny sense of melody and style, incorporating pop elements and arranging every instrument on his tracks. “Something Better” brings the heat on a cold day.

Shaina Hayes grew up in the Gaspé region of Quebec, where her parents encouraged her to take on a music career — so for her, rebellion came in the form of a degree in agricultural science. But she also took part in the music scene of Montreal while attending school there, singing in country and blues cover bands and studying jazz. 

With their big guitar sound, Britain’s Bombay Bicycle Club are on tour spreading joy by playing songs from their new album, My Big Day, throughout Europe as they prepare to return stateside. 

Derwin Dicker, the human behind Gold Panda, released his fourth full-length album late last year, titled The Work. Not only does the title reflect his heady mix, but it captures the six years it took to make the recording and the work it took to get him there — the vital inner work he’s done on himself to make life better. Featured on the album, “Swimmer” is a whimsical track that's been freshly remixed by Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith.

A founding member of The B-52’s, Cindy Wilson is synonymous with the New Wave movement that redefined the sound of the ‘70s and ‘80s. This time around, Wilson brings her distinctive voice and emotive power to her new solo album Realms. “Midnight” has its finger on the pulse of dance music. 

They’re formidable and they are funky; they are the French duo Souleance. Their new album Beautiful is just that from top to bottom. And they’re not alone, traversing the world with sonic stops all over. On “Feliz,” or Spanish for “happy,” the microphone is in the hands of Joao Selva for an idyllic, carnival-inspired bop. 

Dynamic pop/hip-hop duo Charlie Vettuno’s passion for music took hold as kids in their high school garage, where the two brothers began tapping into their sonic journey. Their distinctive style offers quick-fire verses over high energy house music on “Ase.” 

Everybody wants a little piece of LA-based rapper and singer PawPaw Rod right now, thanks to his cool mix of rap and ‘60s soul. That includes fellow Angelenos Neil Frances, who enlist him on their song “High.” A new EP, the aptly-titled This Must Be A PawPaw Rod EP, just dropped and includes the timeless sound of what might be an instant classic on “Love On You.” 

B-52’s Kate Pierson says it best: “It seems that Halloween is everyone’s favorite holiday, yet there are only a handful of Halloween songs!” Ain’t that the truth.. Pierson is correcting this *ahem* grave mistake with what she describes as, “a VERY spirited song written by me and with the supernatural artist Sia and the soulful producer Sam Dixon.” “Every Day Is Halloween” is a haunting tune about a woman who is dying to be seen proving that ghouls just wanna have fun.  Check out Sia on MBE in 2007 and B-52’s make their debut on MBE in 2008.

With his trademark floating flutes, reggaeton rhythm, and Bomba Estéreo frontwoman Li Saumet lending vocals, El Búho’s sexy song launches our Halloweekend of revelry with “Brujeria,” Spanish for “Witchcraft.” 

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Jobi Riccio has a long fascination with what she calls “the bleeding heart sad country song,” which draws us into the emotive power of the genre. 

SoCal artist Zooey Celeste, a new artist for your radar, has a new album produced by Nick Hakim, and will be sharing his dark, ethereal sound when he hits the stage at KCRW’s School Night in Hollywood, tonight.  Celeste tells us that the down-tempo sound of “Cosmic Being” “lived as a voice memo for years and then I brought it to Nick. Iit became another example of his taking something very small and intimate and giving it this huge amphitheater sound.” 

Belfast-born DJ and producer David Holmes has made an impact on over 30 film and TV soundtracks and has lorded over thousands of dance floors, not to mention produced recordings for artists including Primal Scream and Orbital. No wonder his last solo album came out in 2008. But don’t fret, that’s about to change in November when his new full-length Blind On A Galloping Horse strides in. But before we go there, let’s check out “Necessary Genius” (Feat. Raven Violet) to hear who made the cut. 

Ready to party? Yesssss indeed! Let’s take in the hypnotic sound of Wajatta, for whom we all come together to celebrate the duo of comedian/musician Reggie Watts and John Tejada, a vanguard of West Coast techno. “Waiting For The Get Down” feels like a Friday night on steroids. 

Let’s dive into the inner world of Luke Temple’s alter ego Art Feynman, who excels at eccentric music making with his shapeshifting and fluid tones as he inhabits the minds of his characters. An art rocker and popper, we are loving “Early Signs of Rhythm” for its worldbeat and Talking Heads/ Tom Tom Club vibes. 

The xx’s Romy hadn’t really considered herself a solo artist, though she wrote songs for others, until she slowly gained the confidence to go out on her own. Mid Air, Romy’s debut album, finds her working with three-time Grammy winning electronic producer Stuart Price, talented DJ Fred again, and xx bandmate Jamie xx for a frothy, ebullient mix. “loveher” celebrates the early stages of a new intimate relationship with a woman in an exceptional way. 

Shara Nova, the mastermind behind My Brightest Diamond, serves up elegantly crafted songs with mathematical precision and emotional heft. That’s what you’ll hear when My Brightest Diamond takes the tiny stage as part of KCRW’s School Night at Bardot tonight. One song we hope to hear is “Black Sheep,” because it  struts in like modern cabaret. Be sure to wait for the last bit at the very end to wipe away any Monday blues. 

Revered producer and musician Danger Mouse has joined forces with renowned New York rapper Jemini to dust off off Born Again, an album recorded back in 2004 that was tucked away in a vault hasn’t seen the light of day since. After dropping their lauded debut Ghetto Pop Life in 2003, the duo quickly began laboring over its follow-up, but the recording was shelved indefinitely — til now. We are partial to the fun-loving bounce on “Brooklyn Bazquiat.” 

Georgia, one of the UK’s premiere producers and songwriters, has collaborated with many artists, including Gorillaz and Shygirl. Having written her last two albums within a ten foot radius of her bedroom, Georgia made a point of seeking out a new physical and emotional space to write her next one. She trekked to Los Angeles to co-produce her album Euphoric with c0-founding Vampire Weekend member Rostam. “Some Things You’ll Never Know” emits bouncy pop feels. 

SoCal-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi instrumentalist Venus pulls inspiration from myriad sounds and is busy tinkering on an upcoming EP in her home studio. Easy and breezy, “Things Change” gently ushers us into a new direction. 

You might not realize that singer Jenny Owen Youngs has written a ton of songs for other people, including Panic! At The Disco, Pitbull, and Brett Dennen, to name a few. Her new album Avalanche dropped last week and includes several collaborators including S. Carey, Madi Diaz, and The Antlers’ Peter Silberman, who helped co-write  “It’s Later Than You Think,” which warns about lost time scrolling. 

Shoegaze legends Slowdive turn up the lights on their just-released new album, everything is alive. Infectious and drenched in reverb, “alife” showcases the beautiful interplay between Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead’s vocal deliveries. 

Paris-based Venezuelan singer-songwriter YADAM elegantly blends styles on “Otras Mujeres,” and is an artist to keep an eye on in 2023. 

About 28 years ago, Colombian duo Aterciopelados recorded “Mujer Gala” on the album El Dorado. The song became their first number one hit on national radio and led to their first recording contract. To commemorate the album, they played to a full house in Bogota, joined by Cafe Tacuba’s iconic frontman Rubén Albarrán. Today we share a live version of the song from that night in all its punk glory. 

Based in Tokyo, four-girl progressive poppers ATARASHII GAKKO! represent a new generation of young kids pushing traditional boundaries and expressing their individuality. Known for wearing their classic school girl uniform on stage, their live shows are said to be a masterclass in choreography, weaving their way through an energetic mix of Japanese hip-hop, punk, and pop. 

Ever wonder what a pilot does when they are not flying? Michael Gold, former keyboardist for Poolside, makes music as Mirror Tree when he’s not in the cockpit of a 737. Teaming up with his former bandmate Filip Nikolic to develop his stylings and Mirror Tree’s debut LP, the result is a sound in the orbit of Supertramp and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. “Let It Go” is a simple yet provocative song featuring voice, piano, and a simple bass line glued together out of loops of cassette tape. 

Check out singer, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist Allison Russell’s “Stay Right Here,”a disco ball delight accompanied by her Rainbow Coalition ensemble and none other than Wendy & Lisa from Prince’s The Revolution. During the recording session, Wendy surveyed the scene and said, “Lisa and I have been doing this for over 30 years… Never once have we seen a studio full of dames — thank you Allison!” It’s a burner. 

Melodic power trio Trousdale met at the USC music program and started creating beautifully crafted songs together. Their latest track, from their forthcoming debut album Out Of My Mind, points to their skilled songwriting as they tell the story of a golden age movie star who is tired of her fame and moves to the state of rolling plains and cornfields on “Smart Iowa.”  

Multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer Yussef Dayes has a new track out, and it’s a VERY special lullaby. Dayes says, “‘The Light’ celebrates the birth of my daughter Bahia. Born in February 2020, just before the whirlwind of COVID, a beautiful light came into my life. 2020 turned out to be one of the most special times in my life. Becoming a father to my beautiful princess Bahia, being able to take time from touring and nurture my family at home was something I’ll cherish forever.” You’ll be able to hear the rest of the album, Black Classical Music, when it drops tomorrow. 

Optometry is a brand spanking new LA-based duo composed of electro genius John Tejada and stunning singer March Adstrum. Adstrum’s hypnotic voice and guitar spark Tejada’s machinations on their debut track “Chameleon,” with a full-length album coming in March.