Cumulus - Sunbeam

mega cat - “Rat Fight” from the 2024 album mega cat on Share It Music Sure, we've all been witness to a rat fight, but leave it to Seattle's own mega cat to capture the energy in today's Song of the Day. After co-founders Kim West (piano and synthesizer) and Ryan Devlin (bass and guitar) watched the melee in a neighbor's yard (the press release reveals "one rat picked the other up and threw him down with such force that the couple heard an audible thud"), the couple knew the song they'd been working on that afternoon with drummer Aaron Benson finally had its title.  The cinematic single is accompanied by a music video featuring Molly Sides (of Thunderpussy), dancing in a boiler room. The clip perfectly captures the James Bond-esque quality of the dramatic, instrumental track.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Maalis 20243min

Les Amazones d'Afrique - “Flaws” from the 2024 album Musow Danse on Real World Records On today's Song of the Day, all-female African supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique — which translates to "The Amazons of Africa" — celebrate the so-called imperfections that make each of us unique. “The song has a simple message,” Malian singer Mamani Keïta explained in a press release. “The perfect person does not exist. We all have our flaws and imperfections which we carry with us through life. But there is beauty in imperfection, and that’s what we want people to realise.” The group worked with acclaimed producer Jacknife Lee (U2, Modest Mouse, Taylor Swift) on their third album Musow Danse, released last month via Real World Records.  “Jacknife Lee took time to listen to each of our voices,” says vocalist Fafa Ruffino, from Benin. “He doesn’t understand the language but you can tell that he feels the emotion, understands that our souls are deeply invested in our words. I feel like he entered our minds. What he did is more than musical. It is spiritual.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Maalis 20243min

Nusantara Beat - “Kota Bandung” a 2023 single on Bongo Joe Amsterdam-based sextet Nusantara Beat is comprised of members of EUT, Altın Gün, Jungle By Night, POM, and Surf Aid-Kit. Together, they celebrate Indonesian classics, like on today's Song of the Day, which is a cover of a traditional '70s single. Their interpretation of "Kota Bandung" brings a modern vibe to its garage-surf-rock style, with psychedelic guitars and Megan De Klerk's alluring vocals.  Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20 Maalis 20243min

Francis of Delirium - “Blue Tuesday” from the 2024 album Lighthouse on Dalliance Records Francis Of Delirium — a project of Luxembourg-based artist Jana Bahrich — is set to release their debut LP, Lighthouse, on March 22nd via Dalliance Recordings.  “For this album, hope is the prevailing feeling I’m left with after making it and listening to it,” Bahrich said in a press statement. “The idea is that there is this light guiding you out into a space where you can be more open and accepting of love and joy. Even as you gain or lose love, it never really goes away; it just transforms itself, moving into other relationships with you.” She says today's Song of the Day was "a chance to go back a little bit to our original sound, heavy guitars, uptempo, in-your-face music… We are a band that really loves to play live, sweaty, messy, and physical music, so it felt important to have this song be part of the album." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Maalis 20242min

Four Tet - “Loved” from the 2024 album Three on Text Records Long-running electronic artist Four Tet — real name: Kieran Hebden — returns with his twelfth studio album, titled Three, which came out last Friday via his own label, Text Records. Four Tet's previous LP was 2020's Parallel. Last year, he teamed up with Skrillex and Fred Again for a sold-out five-hour show at Madison Square Garden. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Maalis 20244min

Clinton Fearon - "LOL" from the 2024 album Survival Vibration on Kool Yu Foot / Boogie Brown Productions Seattle's own reggae legend Clinton Fearon returns with his 14th full-length solo album on April 5th, titled Survival Vibration. He declares today's Song of the Day as "one of my very favorites on the album," adding, "I love the simple ways of how it reminds us to take care of ourselves. For over 30 years I’ve been telling my friends and fans to do what they love and love what they do. Finally, it’s a song. On the musical side, I love what the thumb piano is doing: its tone and the parts it's playing do a lot for the song. And then from the moment the intro is done and the rhythm starts, I can’t help but want to dance." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Maalis 20244min

Summer Pearl - "feel right" from the 2023 album outmysystem on Kitto Records London-based artist Summer Pearl taps into her Jamaican/Grenadian heritage on her debut mixtape, outmysystem, which was released late last year. Infusing reggae and dub influences into her neo-soul sound, her latest release features a guest appearance from reggae royalty Liam Bailey and production by the prolific broken beat pioneer, Kaidi Tatham. "This project is a collection of songs, some of which I wrote almost eight years ago and some a lot more recent. These are songs that I needed to get out of my system in order for me to move on. To be able to move on and get over that relationship, romantic or platonic; to move on but not forget the loss of friends and family." "I guess it’s somewhat of a release in order to get back to myself. This is the first project I’ve released in three years and I feel like it’s the most me. There are a few songs on love and having a good time, and then of course I’m a student of life and have to write what I see in this crazy world. outmysystem is allowing me to move on to the next chapter in my life and I’m excited to see what that looks like, feels like, and sounds like." Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Maalis 20242min

GC OConnor - "Love on High" a 2023 single on Low Key Source Australian artist GC OConnor makes a powerful introduction with her debut single "Love On High," capturing a jazzy alt-R&B sound that she describes as "stoner-soul." The single was produced by Sydney/Gadigal-based duo The Goods.  In a press release, OConnor shares, “This track speaks to all the years of chasing the dance floor ‘love at first sight’ feeling. The brief elation of fleeting entanglements. And the lows of not actually caring about long lasting human connection. All I took to the studio was the guitar, the hook, and words on a page. The Goods brought the rest to life all in a single session, along with it being mastered by Dave Cooley.” Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Maalis 20243min