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.
Follow us on Spotify to keep up with our current obsessions, including 5 Songs to Hear This Week, Bent By Nature: Deirdre O'Donoghue and The Lost SNAP Archives (The Music), and our weekly sampler of KCRW’s Top 30 most played records.
Nell & The Flaming Lips – “Into My Arms”
KCRW Music Intern Kai Wayans said it best: “This track is a warm, feathery hug from the moon.” The Flaming Lips offer a dreamy, subdued approach to the beloved tune from Nick Cave, delicately cradled by singer Nell — the teenage superfan who caught frontman Wayne Coyne’s attention at a show in Calgary by wearing a parrot costume in the pit. Nell has since ventured forth to record a collaborative album with the band. If you’re in a Nick Cave kind of mood, don’t miss the public debut of KCRW’s Bent By Nature Live Performance Archive, and while you’re at it, enter for your chance to win a couple tix to see the Lips here in LA. How’s that for a bounty?
Louis Culture – “Grime”
Looking for a fresh edge? Head straight to London, no layovers. Louis Culture is the spacey-smooth artist blending house and funk with rap roots as part of the South London collective Elevation Meditation. This track is everything you love about a kickback R&B x hip-hop blend, updated with a dancefloor sensibility and a hot-night-out music video. Put this one on to signal a shift change at your next house party, and quietly collect your cool points.
Badge Époque Ensemble & Lammping – “Each Ain’t the Same (Feat. OC & THE03)”
Speaking of rap recontextualized, here’s a full-bodied pour to complement any hearty musical banquet. Canadian musical project Badge Époque Ensemble debuted their blend of beats n’ brass in 2019, catching the attention of the nu-jazz scene. On this latest track, they’ve teamed up with fellow Ontarians Lammping to create the instrumental hip-hop jam of your dreams. Crowning a deeply satisfying blend of lo-fi beats, jazz horns, and languid, sexy-cool-funk-rock elements with rap bars to remove your clothes to…. Well, what more could you want?
JAMBINAI – “from the place been erased (Feat. swja)”
Gird your loins: It’s big-sound season. This tortured track from Korean avant-rock outfit JAMBINAI features hard-rock riffs punctuated by the wail of traditional Korean instruments. A haunting performance video suggests an endless abyss, and the mournful lyrics about oblivion and regret will place this one right at home in your macabre mix. Fans of Trent Reznor and Unkle, take note.
Alex Anwandter – “Maricoteca”
How about some Chilean cowbell to round it out? Singer-songwriter and two-time Latin Grammy nominee Alex Anwandter delivers a fun, sensual single perfectly suited for its glossy, vice-ridden video (for a good time, don’t miss it). Powered by a disco clap-track beat and built around a synth bass core, this track will keep you guessing between booty shakes. Bubbles!