Hey! Did you know that there’s an entire aspect of KCRW music discovery that you might be missing out on? Fear not, because our 5 Songs to Hear This Week newsletter is now a weekly feature on our website. Watch this space for rundowns of the five songs that you need in your life immediately, curated by KCRW Music staff. Don’t want to wait for your latest taste of fresh tunes? Sign up for the Tuesday newsletter here, and have ‘em delivered directly to your inbox.
Dehd – “Dog Days”
The sounds of indie rock are in safe and capable hands with Chicago three-piece Dehd. This dive-bar track is cozy like your favorite flannel and crisp like a PBR straight out of the lowboy. Easy to love, fun to sing, and crowned by a gloriously unserious video featuring a cornucopia of wigs ‘n’ kisses, this indie track delivers a good time… dog days be damned. Want more from Dehd? Their album Poetry is fresh out and becoming a heavy favorite around these parts.
Amen Dunes – “Purple Land”
They say there’s nothing new under the sun. Maybe they’re right, but we still get a little zooted when a track as unique as this one crosses our desk. This song from one-man-project Amen Dunes sounds like music made by a sieve-brained prodigy who heard the American rock canon, then forgot it. Adherence to structural rules is missing, but highly effective sonic tricks of the mind are intact. And that’s a good thing. Explore the rest of Dunes’ wanderings: His new LP Death Jokes was just released.
Låpsley – “Angeles”
It’s always fun seeing old tools turn new tricks, as is the case here on Låpsley’s “Angeles.” The English artist toys with vocal distortions and bright, gem-toned synth notes to leave a joyful impression… albeit through minor chords, high BPM percussive backing, and lyrics highlighting LA’s infamous loneliness. Låpsley reports a strained relationship with our city (who can blame her), and if this heart-pumping electro jam is her way of working through it, we say go off babes. The EP, A Guilty Heart Can Never Rest, is out now.
Gaby Moreno & LA LOM – “Alma Florecida”
Aye Gaby…. La voz de un ángel. En serio… the celebrated Guatemalan-born, LA-honed singer-songwriter lends her golden pipes to a traditional-sounding track featuring divine instrumentals from chicha/cumbia three-piece band LA LOM. They make beautiful music together: Swoony slide guitars, gentle wire-brush percussion, and slow-burn guitar plucks lay a sweet, swaying foundation for Gaby’s layered harmonies. Si entiendes espańol, enjoy a poetic ode to eternal love, loss, and longing.
More: Gaby Moreno: KCRW Live From HQ
Fcukers – “Bon Bon”
Everything about this indie-house track from fresh-faced cheeky trio Fcukers is good: The crispy ‘90s beats, the pixie-sweet throwaway vocals, the singular droning synth standing in as melody, the whoops of support from a hovering hype-lad, and the greenscreen-and-windbreaker video. It’s undeniably downtown, casual in form, designed for a good time, and painfully cool. We don’t know much about this group yet, but we want more. Keep your eye on these Fcukers, they’re up to somethin’.