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 Friday newsletter here, and always be the first to know.
Drop Nineteens – "Scapa Flow”
Here’s one to make your long-haired, Converse-donning heart happy. Drop Nineteens were among the first bands pumping out shoegaze sounds from Boston in the early ‘90s, back when the scene was dominated by the Brits. Now, the reunited five-piece have announced their first new album in 30(!) year, Hard Light. With the good news has come this promising single, which is so strong in its shoegaze DNA as to sound positively encyclopedic. Click in for echoing guitar pulls, steady shifting drums, layers of muted vocals, and fuzz aplenty.
JayWood – “Dirk Gently (Know Yourself)”
It’s time to get up! And we’ve got just the thing to help. This track’s an espresso shot for your brain. Taking cues from recent psychedelic synth-rock like Tame Impala and Toro y Moi and infused with a deeply-laid line of funk, this gleaming alt-indie track from Manitoban JayWood is the high-shine positivity anthem you’ve been waiting for. Bright and punchy, and rich with sonic detail, this mega-fun track is a whole ass party. Click quick to gain entry.
Feliz Final – “Olvidarme (de ti)”
One of our favorite recent musical innovations is a reggaeton beat applied to a spectrum of sonic landscapes. As heard here: Madrid’s Feliz Final is a fresh find courtesy of FREAKS ONLY host Travis Holcombe, who picked up this swarthy single on a listener’s recommendation. And it’s more than rinse-worthy: ‘80s keyboard synths and percussive flourishes make this track a standout from the freshman class. Keep your dial on Feliz Final (and FREAKS ONLY) to stay ahead of the game.
Brian Lopez – “Road To Avalon (Feat. KT Tunstall)”
Keeping up the musical montage trend is this cinematic dreamscape from singer-songwriter Brian Lopez, whose narrative, heart-stringy sound calls to mind the work of Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens, and Nick Drake — but make it Southwestern. An emotive blend of poetic lyrics presented as storytime narration, Wild West guitar plucks, Parisian accordion, and score-worthy strings make this intoxicating single one to sing and sway to, a perfect introduction to your new favorite troubadour. Keep your ears out for supportive vocals from our girl KT Tunstall, and hear more from the album TIDAL, out now.
Chase & Status and Bou – “Baddadan (Feat. IRAH, Flowdan, Trigga and Takura”
Got some aggression to let loose? Let’s close it out on a fat chune. This electrifying track cherry-picks elements from across the electronic/dance spectrum to assemble a veritable Frankenstein’s rave monster. And collaboration is at the beating heart of this beast: London duo Chase & Status teamed up with UK remixer DJ Bou, then called up four of their best vocal mates to put together a fearsome final product. Drum ‘n’ bass, grime, house, and jungle heads will recognize their call signs from among the audio offerings here. As the DJ sez, let’s gooooo.