Music For Your Weekend

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Greetings! I hope you’re enjoying all of your favorite KCRW programming uninterrupted as we embark on our first ever UnDrive pledge drive! If you’ve not yet made a donation, you can do so right here. Not only will you be keeping your favorite radio station/music website going strong, you’ll be automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a trip to Austrailia’s outback. So much winning! Here are a few new songs that should provide even further incentive for you to help us keep doing what we do.

Thom Yorke – “Suspirium”

Full disclosure, I can’t do horror. When I was a child I suffered nights of very little sleep for weeks on end just based on seeing the TRAILERS for the films Death Becomes Her, and Outbreak. One of those is a satire about aging and vanity that people whose comedy taste I greatly respect swear is one of the best movies, the other is a cheesy thriller about a monkey who somehow infects the entire world with a flesh eating virus. Or something like that. I’ve clearly still never seen either film, and have no intentions of ever doing so. Therefore, if someone tells me now that a trailer for a new film might really mess me up, I take them at their word.

That hasn’t stopped me from wishing to be the kind of person that could handle something like Luca Guadagnino’s forthcoming remake of Suspiria, especially having just re-watched Call Me by Your Name last week. Fortunately, I can handle the delicate, and melancholic first single from the soundtrack by Thom Yorke who is also providing the film’s score.

Ladytron – “The Island”

So naturally after spending the previous two paragraphs describing my aversion to horror films, I’m now recommending a song that’s accompanied by a rather upsetting video. Go figure. Still, after a nearly seven year hiatus I’d be remiss to not immediately direct your attention to the fact that there is new music in the world from Ladytron.

“The Island” is dark, icy, and pulsating. The word dangerous is part of the chorus, and you feel that sense of danger embedded in the track. There’s also a thread of sympathy throughout that makes the whole thing all the more compelling. In other words, it’s classic Ladytron.

Cayucas – “Jessica WJ”

Now for some pure levity to counter the contemplative nature of my prior two recommendations. I became a huge Cayucas fan the moment I heard their breakout single “High School Lover.” “Jessica WJ” follows in the tradition of that buoyant slice of indiepop perfection, complete with a reference to a girl’s name. Press play on this one, and prepare to float (or pogo) away!

Ladytron header image: Cmon Collapse via Flickr, Thom Yorke carousel image: Tim Cochrane