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Tuesday, Apr 12 2022, 5AM
In a statement, Calexico’s Joey Burns said of the new album:
El Mirador is dedicated to family, friends and community. The pandemic highlighted all the ways we need each other, and music happens to be my way of building bridges and encouraging inclusiveness and positivity. That comes along with sadness and melancholy, but music sparks change and movement.
pitchfork.com
Since forming in the early '90s, East L.A.-based band Quetzal have long used their musical platform to speak out about social justice and education.
You can download a 2020 self-released single "Justice Never Dies" - a KEXP song-of-the-day - over on our website:
www.kexp.org
"LA FAMA" (fame) is the first single from the Spanish singer’s latest album, 'Motomami'. On the song, Rosalía experiments with Dominican bachata - a genre that originated in the Domincan countryside in the early 20th century, mixing bolero, son, and the troubadour singing common across Latin America. Watch the video: youtu.be
Rest In Peace REVELS
Sending love to all of his family and friends
This song is considered by many to be a staple of early 90's Hip Hop. It is also lyrically inspired by the death of their close friend Troy Dixon (better known as "Trouble" T. Roy of Heavy D & the Boyz) in 1990. Dixon, who was touring around the U.S. with Heavy D & the Boyz, died when he fell off of a raised exit ramp outside of a concert venue in Indianapolis, Indiana Learn the story behind this song: bit.ly
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Check out the music video from the album 'Mecca & The Soul Brother' : youtu.be
Homeboy Sandman’s new album 'There In Spirit' carries a powerful message of individuality and self-actualization. For Sand, making this project was about breaking away from the mold, letting go of mediocrity and fear, and holding himself to a higher standard.
Homeboy Sandman joins forces with Detroit beatmaker Illingsworth on the album, describing working with Illingsworth:
“Illingworth beats are a particular, one of a kind, sonic energy, that my molecular structure responds to in a way it could never respond to anything else. Illingsworth is one of the greatest producers to ever live. Anyone who denies that is completely in denial.”
homeboysandman-mmg.bandcamp.com
Going out to William in Dallas, TX
Nightmares on Wax describes his 2021 release as "a deeply personal project built from life-affirming realizations brought on by a period of profound change in his life. The result is an exploration of musical and personal freedom, and N.O.W's deepest record to date. Shout Out! To Freedom... is a highly collaborative affair which sees Leeds DJ and producer George Evelyn combine with a variety of artists, including Shabaka Hutchings, Greentea Peng, Haile Supreme, Pip Millett and more. www.nightmaresonwax.com
New York based singer, songwriter and producer Amber Mark released "My People," a cover of "My People…Hold On" by Eddie Kendricks, lead singer of The Temptations. All profits from ‘My People’ were donated to organizations dedicated to the development of Black agricultural land ownership.
Read more and see the striking homemade video:
bit.ly
youtu.be
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Check out KEXPs Midnight In A Perfect World with Amber Mark. Her exclusive guest DJ mix for Midnight in a Perfect World is a wonderful journey through the influential sounds that inspire her own music, touching upon iconic jazz artists, contemporary R&B, sultry bossa nova, club-ready pop jams, global hip-hop, soulful beats, and more.
kexp.org
Virginia-born singer/songwriter Nicole Wray has everything you’d want in a singer: an infectious Jackson-5-family-member flare, a range like Aretha’s, and a church upbringing that’s brought a pure, healing texture to her voice.
ladywray.bandcamp.com
Tune your laser beams to the Black Constellation. www.kexp.org
Eamon put a new spin on samples from the Now-Again catalog, crafting beats from various African rhythms such as Amanaz’s Zamrock, the Hygrades Nigerian funk, and Ayalew Mesfin’s Ethiopian tezetas, which were expanded upon with a multitude of live instruments.
eamon.bandcamp.com
April 22 at Seattle's Showbox SoDo - more tour dates and music: www.ghettogods.com
Read their profile with Pitchfork's Rising column: pitchfork.com
Going out to Ed in Seattle!
Sampa the Great will be performing at Neumos in Seattle tonight!
The debut album from this Zambia-born, Botswana-raised and Melbourne-based rapper is an expansive blend of hip hop, R&B, jazz and various African influences. The diverse set of songs ranges from funky hip hop bangers to lush fusions of jazz and R&B, with many of the lyrics reflecting on culture, identity and home. She is joined on this track by her mother and sister.
sampathegreat.bandcamp.com
Congolese-born, Montreal-based musician. In his new track, dedicated to the legend, he recites some of his most popular song titles, and sings “Na Bruxelles, Référence ya Shagi Sharufa” as a direct reference to Wemba’s hit “Saï Saï”.
“Papa Wemba has also been one of my idols and biggest inspirations”, Kwenders explains. “He’s paved the way for so many artists and has brought congolese rumba to another extent. His passing in 2016 was devastating for all rumba lovers. I knew from that day that I wanted to pay homage to him. This video is a clin d’oeil to his essence and elegance. Being one of the founding fathers of la Sape, I wanted this video to showcase beauty and swagg as Papa Wemba would.”
Video:
youtu.be
pan-african-music.com
Fatima and Joe Armon-Jones unite for Tinted Shades; a three track EP that asserts personal truths whilst juxtaposing dark times with hopeful optimism - spanning soul, hip hop and R&B.
joearmon-jones.bandcamp.com
An epic project from Los Angeles-based polymath Shafiq Husayn. To provide the backbone to recording sessions in his home, Shafiq brought together an impressive array of LA's musical royalty: Thundercat, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Kamasi Washington, Chris ‘Daddy’ Dave, Eric Rico, Coultrain, Computer Jay, Jimetta Rose, Om'Mas Keith, Kelsey Gonzalez, I-Ced and more. He then drew in features from an international cast of performers and artists like Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Hiatus Kaiyote, Fatima and Karen Be.
shafiqhusayn.bandcamp.com
"we like to call it wondercore"
hiatuskaiyote.bandcamp.com
This Toronto vocalist/producer’s debut full-length is an intimate, well-crafted blend of soul, gospel, folk, jazz and more, combining an atmospheric sound with her deep, velvety vocals and lyrics of heartache and identity.
Produced by Wilson herself with additional production from D'Mile, co-written by the legendary Babyface and featuring background vocals from Daniel Caesar.
charlottedaywilson.bandcamp.com
charlottedaywilson.com
Momma Nikki is a Seattle-based Haitian-Queer artist that sings, spits, or a combination of the two. She's a vocalist & MC in her band, Holy Pistola.
www.mommanikki.com