Today's Top Tune
313 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★ - 523 ratingsA free weekday download of standout songs, including advance releases, exclusive live tracks recorded at KCRW, remixes, and an introduction to new artists on our radar.
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Episodes
Alex Cuba: ‘No Cocina Cualquiera’
May 10, 2024 07:00 - 2 minutesWe’re celebrating our mothers this weekend, and to honor them we turn to the timeless singer Alex Cuba, who pays tribute to his own mother and the work she puts into her delicious dinners, to which no one else comes close. Not only did he write the song for her, but Alex invites his mama to sing with him on “No Cocina Cualquiera”
Parlor Greens: ‘In Green We Dream’
May 09, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesWe’re excited to premiere a new song from heavy instrumental dream team Parlor Greens, who have the distinction of recording their debut album at Colemine Records’ brand new studio at Portage Lounge in Loveland, Ohio. This trio celebrates their members with brilliant solos, as you’ll hear on the title track “In Green We Dream.”
Bette Smith: ‘Goodthing’
May 08, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesSoul singer Bette Smith’s musical adventure was born in the church pews and street corners of Brooklyn. Today, Bette Smith announces a brand new album filled with her signature mix of soul and gospel. “Goodthing,” the title track, hints at the crunchy sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore: ‘We're Still Here’
May 07, 2024 07:00 - 6 minutesBack in 2018, LA roots-punk pioneer Dave Alvin and cosmic country slayer Jimmie Dale Gilmore wrote their first album together to great fanfare and kindled their lifelong friendship. The duo have announced a new full-length recording, TexiCali, coming in June that promises to deliver 11 trippy tracks, culled from the hearts of these two storytellers and providing a sonic tapestry across their home states. “We’re Still Here” celebrates their bond.
Monogem: ‘Lemon Tree’
May 06, 2024 07:00 - 2 minutesMotherhood is a game-changer for any artist, but it can also open up a new sonic horizon. Monogem is a new mom to a son, and has spent the last year in her backyard under their lemon tree. Her new ballad “Lemon Tree” carries a lilting melody, coupled with organic production and soothing saxophone peeling back the layers of a heavy world. It reminds us of what Monogem already knows: to appreciate the little things (and little ones) in our daily lives.
Little Feat: ‘Spanish Moon’ (Alternate Version)
May 03, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesThis June we’ll celebrate the 5oth anniversary of the seminal recording by Little Feat with a new deluxe edition of Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, featuring rare and unreleased versions plus outtakes from album sessions as well as a 1975 concert in Paris. Formed in Los Angeles in 1969, this outfit made a tasty stew of blues, country, R&B, and good ole’ rock n’ roll. We’ll share a song you may recognize, which has been sampled and covered by many — it’s an alternate version of the funky classic “Sp...
Kaia Kater: ‘In Montreal’
May 02, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesNow that Beyonce released her country album to rave reviews, we’re seeing the buoying effect of her limelight, allowing other women artists to rise with the genre. Canadian artist Kaia Kater shines her love of the banjo with a love letter to her instrument. “In Montreal” is replete with head-spinning experimental rhythms and lyrics about a poet who feels lost and aimless, plus the added bonus of Grenadian-Canadian and Montreal native Allison Russell on vocals.
Ëda Diaz: ‘Dulce de Mar’
May 01, 2024 07:00 - 4 minutesKCRW host Chris Douridas was heard declaring some fighting words about Suave Bruta, the debut album by French-Colombian double-bassist and singer Ëda Diaz: “I expect to go several tracks deep with airplay on this. My favorite album of 2024 so far. No skips.” That’s a big deal for a DJ who listens to A LOT of music on a daily basis. And we couldn’t agree more. Driven by an expansive cultural spectrum that incorporates a mix of woozy Latin American rhythms and romanticism akin to the writings ...
Sly5thAve: ‘Liberation’
April 30, 2024 07:00Composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumentalist are among the descriptors for the artist known as Sly5thAve, who declared that his new album, Liberation, “exploded out of me. I couldn’t write it fast enough.” The result is layered with lush orchestral arrangements, innovative improvisation, and blessed with hip-hop production. Let’s turn to the title track, through which you can hear the meaning of the word.
Yot Club: ‘Human Nature’
April 29, 2024 07:00 - 2 minutesBrooklyn-based indie-popping Yot Club, the creation of Ryan Kaiser, has a new album, Rufus, filled with inner thoughts turned into melodies like “Human Nature,” a toe-tapping earworm fixated on the acceptance of someone you once knew who has now turned into a stranger.
Ana Tijoux: ‘Niñx’
April 11, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesWith her first album in ten years, Vida, Chilean rapper and singer Ana Tijoux unleashes her indestructible spirit and social conviction on the project. A wise friend once told her something that has resonated — that the best revenge against death is life itself. “Vida is also a call to every single creator out there,” Tijoux says. “Singers, writers, sculptors, and performers, dancers, and painters – all of us. Our strength lies in sticking together. The only way to continue marching forwar...
Infinity Song: ‘Hater’s Anthem’
April 10, 2024 07:00 - 2 minutesWhether they’re your nemesis or closest ally, today is National Sibling Day. In honor of that, we’re getting down with Infinity Song, a band of four brothers and sisters based in NYC. Homeschooled musically and academically by their parents alongside their five other siblings, the band’s folks extended their love to found the Boys & Girls Choirs of Detroit. Jay-Z signed Infinity Song to his Roc Nation label in 2016, and wisely advised them not to conform to the label’s artistic culture and...
The Marias: ‘Run Your Mouth’
April 09, 2024 07:00 - 2 minutesThe Marías are busy putting the finishing touches on their eagerly-awaited sophomore album Submarine, out at the end of May, exploring solitude and the complexities of our emotions. While we wait, let’s enjoy the amuse bouche that is “Run Your Mouth.” On the release of “Run Your Mouth,” María shares, “This was one of the first songs Josh and I wrote on Submarine. I was conflict avoidant at the time, and whenever someone wanted to talk about something serious, I’d run and hide. I learned th...
Bobby Oroza: ‘Queen of the Barrio’
March 22, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesOne of our favorite Finnish crooners, Bobby Oroza declares his love for the ladies who grew up in the Latin barrios, wards, quarters, and districts around the world with “Queen of the Barrio.”
Heidi Lynne Gluck: ‘Severance (Remix)’
March 21, 2024 07:00 - 3 minutesCanadian-born, Kansas-based artist Heidi Lynne Gluck is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a knack for nuance. Known for her ‘70s-style folk rock, Heidi employs the warm glow of a Wurlitzer on “Severance (Remix).”
Reyna Tropical: ‘Ya Va Pasar’
December 08, 2023 08:00 - 3 minutesBirthed in Mexico in 2017, Reyna Tropical explores “intuition, transition, connection, and continuation — a celebration of spiritual survival pulsing with the beat of all things tropical.”
Sarah McKenzie: ‘Quoi, Quoi, Quoi’
November 30, 2023 08:00 - 3 minutesJazz vocalist, pianist, and composer Sarah McKenzie teams up with Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, cellist Jacques Morelenbaum, and drummer Peter Erskine (known for his work with Weather Report) on her new album Without You, spotlighting her performance at The Blue Note jazz club in Rio where she met Jacques and Romero. The album shines a light on a batch of Antonio Carlos Jobim songs and a few original compositions, including her song “Quoi, Quoi, Quoi.”
Optometry: ‘Chameleon’
January 06, 2023 09:00 - 3 minutesOptometry is a brand spanking new LA-based duo composed of electro genius John Tejada and stunning singer March Adstrum. Adstrum’s hypnotic voice and guitar spark Tejada’s machinations on their debut track “Chameleon,” with a full-length album coming in March.
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs: ‘Never Seen You Dance’
August 30, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesCome Sept. 9, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs fans will be able to get their hands and ears on the British electronic producer’s hotly-anticipated new album “When the Lights Go.” Effortlessly binding indie sensibilities and organic dance beats, “Never Seen You Dance” rides on a wave of romantic infatuation.
Hot Chip: ‘Eleanor’
July 28, 2022 07:00 - 5 minutesAug. 19 marks the day that Hot Chip release their long-anticipated eighth album, “Freakout/Release.” A belter, bopper, and banger, “Eleanor” has the resilient sound and live energy that’s made Hot Chip a must-see and listen for more than two decades. We can’t wait for their first album since 2019’s “A Bath Full of Ecstasy.”
U.S. Girls: “So Typically Now”
July 27, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesMeg Remy, the experimental pop artist known as U.S. Girls, shares a new track that dropped just this morning. A visual artist, astute political commentator, and fiery performer, Remy recently published her memoir “Begin By Telling.” “So Typically Now” features backing vocals from Kyle Kidd.
Mapache: ‘I Love My Dog’
July 26, 2022 07:00 - 2 minutesLA cosmic-folk duo Mapache, which is also the Spanish word for “racoon,” have a 14-year-old Boston Terrier named Roscoe who has been on the road with them for their whole career. Naturally, Roscoe has also made it into several of their songs, including “I Love My Dog,” the kick-off track on their latest album, “Roscoe’s Dream.”
Zoe Gotusso: ‘Un Bossa +’
July 25, 2022 07:00 - 1 minuteWith two Latin Grammy nominations (Best New Artist and Best Pop/Rock Song) last year and and an LAMC Discovery Award this one, Zoe Gotusso is an emerging artist to keep an ear on. The Argentine singer-songwriter delivers a Spanish bossa nova that keeps on giving with “Un Bossa +” or “mas.”
Joshy Soul: ‘Garden’
July 22, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesLong Beach-based Joshy Soul knows that we, just like plants, need water to grow and time to bloom into who you become. “Garden” is about growth, whether you are firmly planted in the ground or not. “I talk about finding your 'soil-mate,' because as with a 'soulmate,' a soil-mate is finding someone in your life who helps you grow,” Soul says. “Who sees your flaws, and thorns, and grows with you.” See Joshy Soul live at The Troubadour on August 19th.
El Michels Affair meets Liam Bailey: ‘Conquer & Divide’ (Feat. Black Thought)
July 21, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesIn the midst of recording Liam Bailey’s 2020 “Ekundayo” album, producer Leon Michels (and leader of electric soul project El Michels Affair) sprinkled a little reggae into the mix on the side. Inspired by this blueprint, the two created a new album under the moniker El Michels Affair meets Liam Bailey that transcends dub, calling it “Ekundayo Inversions.” Album opener “Conquer & Divide” features Black Thought of The Roots; prepare to blow out a woofer.
of Montreal: ‘Blab Sabbath Lathe of Maiden’
July 20, 2022 07:00 - 5 minutesIf you draw inspiration from a wide variety of eclectic sources — say, as wide as from speculative fiction author Ursula K. Le Guin to surrealist painter Edward Hopper — and then turn them into sound, you’d come up with of Montreal’s “Blab Sabbath Lathe of Maiden.” It’s like taking a sonorous, mind-boggling rollercoaster ride with Stereolab and T.Rex.
Foals: ‘2AM’
July 19, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesLet’s step into the newly expanded and euphoric sound of Foals with “2AM.” Their seventh album “Life Is Yours” is the UK rockers’ most dance-ready, high-energy, joy-filled sound of summer yet. Time to get on your feet!
Ty Segall: ‘Don’t Lie’
July 18, 2022 07:00 - 4 minutesThere are songs that are so good, they become embedded in the fiber of your being. That’s the case with The Mantles’ 2009 garage pop-ready track “Don’t Lie.” The song is a longtime favorite, now translated and reworked by Ty Segall into a disarming solo acoustic sound.
Brijean: ‘Caldwell's Way’
July 15, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesBuoyed by strength and creative renewal after a period of loss, the Bay Area duo Brijean packed up “Angelo” — their 1981 Toyota Celica — and bid farewell to their community. The experience turned into an EP named after their car, and explores some of the characters important to them during that time, as on “Caldwell’s Way.”
Goon: ‘Ochre’
July 14, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesRejoice as LA-based grunge-gazing fourtet Goon have a new album, “Hour of Green Evening,” coming out tomorrow! If a picture paints a thousand words, then a song can capture a color. “Ochre” is frontman Kenny Becker’s favorite color to paint with, brought to sonic life with his lilting orchestration and made all the more vibrant by a beautiful piano improvisation from Spoon’s Alex Fischel.
Marco Benevento: ‘Marco & Mimo’
June 23, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesTrippy key wiz Marco Benevento squirreled away in his Woodstock studio amid countless keyboards and gear to create quarantine-inflicted solo jams. The eponymous album “Benevento” was inspired by Macca’s (Paul McCartney) first solo album. “The album became a psychedelic window into my studio and my brain, a document of a crazy dude losing his mind in the woods and maybe regaining it," Benevento says.
Bobby Oroza: ‘Through These Tears’
June 22, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesYou don’t have to be born in the US to sing soul, but you do have to be able to convey the right feeling. Helsinki-born Bobby Oroza has that in his soul. “Through These Tears” lights a slow-burning flame on the crossroads of lost love.
Morcheeba: ‘Killed Our Love’
June 21, 2022 07:00 - 4 minutesSkye Edwards and Ross Godfrey, best known as one of the UK’s leading trip-hop pioneers Morcheeba, help us chill out with new music on their tenth album “Blackest Blue.” A true electro-organic mix, “Killed Our Love” is a standout.
Sounds of Blackness: ‘Juneteenth Celebration’
June 20, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesSince 1971, Sounds of Blackness has lifted the voices of African-American sound through gospel, worldbeat, jazz, and soul. It’s no wonder that these three-time Grammy Award-winning artists have racked up numerous accolades and a devoted international fanbase when you hear their latest, “Juneteenth Celebration.”
Alela Diane: ‘Howling Wind’
June 17, 2022 07:00 - 4 minutesWe first met singer/songwriter Alela Diane as part of the band Headless Heroes and their one-off album of covers back in 2008. While not a prolific artist, she works to delicately craft her work for the most impact, as on her new song “Howling Wind,” a balm for these turbulent times.
Surprise Chef: ‘Spring's Theme’
June 16, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesMelbourne quintet Surprise Chef serve up a tasty, moody instrumental ballad in “Spring’s Theme.” Taking cues from the masters, they pull together the sound of ‘70s film scores, funky jazz, and a little hip-hop.
Stars: ‘Pretenders’
June 15, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesNine albums in, Montreal’s Stars turn in their first full-length in five years “From Capelton Hill,” to glowing reviews. If you are in the mood for epic choruses, a little nostalgia, and Britpop arrangements, “Pretenders” is for you!
Meridian Brothers: ‘Triste son’
June 14, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesThanks to a lot of hard work the legendary Ansonia Records will release its first full length recording in 30 years. Colombian artists Meridian Brothers announce their new album “El Grupo Renacimiento” as they dig out the lost sound of ‘70s “salsa dura,” or “hard salsa,” out August 5. For now, you can enjoy “Triste son.”
JJ & The Mood: ‘How Many Times’
June 03, 2022 07:00 - 5 minutesTry to stand still as you check out the debut song by Cincinnati and LA duo JJ & The Mood with their disco-inspired ode to libidinous youth, “How Many Times.” Prepare to put your hands in the air!
Yuna: ‘Make A Move’
June 02, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesR&B artist Yuna is a familiar voice to KCRW music lovers. Smooth and sexy, this prolific creator shares a new song about approaching a crush on “Make A Move.”
Noori and his Dorpa Band: ‘Al Amal’
June 01, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutesHailing from Sudan, Noori and his Dorpa Band capture the sound of Beja (pronounced Bee-Jah) music. A gifted musician who welded and tuned a ‘70s-era four-stringed instrument called the tambour to the neck of an electric guitar, Noori wields the tambo-guitar, a new instrument that he invented. “Al Amal” explores its sound and the band’s brand of Sudanese electric soul.
Tosca: ‘Clean Up’
May 31, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutesRebirth is a driving force for Austrian avant-garde electronic artists Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber, known as the duo Tosca. From their early electronic experiments to their dub-infused grooves, Tosca have been sonic pioneers. Prepare to be transported into a blissed out meditative state on their latest single “Clean Up.”
Leyla McCalla: ‘La Bal est Fini’
May 30, 2022 07:00 - 4 minutesBased in New Orleans, Leyla McCalla is a talented multi-instrumentalist known for her work in Carolina Chocolate Drops and her project Our Native Daughters, alongside Rhiannon Giddens, Allison Russell, and Amythist Kiah. At the age of 10, McCalla spent her summer vacation at her grandmother’s home in Haiti, while her mother, a lawyer, traveled throughout the country working on legal advocacy during a turbulent time. This was a seminal experience for McCalla and became the driving theme for ...
Son Rompe Pera: ‘Pájaro Cenzontle’
May 27, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesMexico City’s marimba madness comes from the Gama brothers and their family band Son Rompe Pera, who keep tradition alive through the historic instrument with a concoction of punk-folk-cumbia on ‘Pájaro Cenzontle.’
Sonny Singh: ‘Thir Ghar Baiso”
May 26, 2022 07:00 - 2 minutesRed Baraat’s Sonny Singh delivers borderless Punjabi anthems of hope and love as he takes center stage on the debut solo album “Chardi Kala,” whose title translates to the Sikh practice of eternal optimism and determination through the darkest of times. Produced by three-time Grammy winner Wil-Dog Abers of Ozomatli, you can hear their influence on each other via “Thir Ghar Baiso.”
Miynt: ‘Aria’
May 25, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesSwedish artist Miynt captures our ears with a warm dose of summer optimism and psych rock texture on the quietly sprawling “Aria.”
Dexter Story & Carlos Niño: ‘Chadwick'
May 24, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesCarlos Niño and Dexter Story are part of the hearty SoCal music creatives working together and separately to shape spiritually-healing, mind-elevating music. Their new collaboration “Chadwick” captures their ever-evolving musical conversation.
Laura Veirs: ‘Winter Windows’
May 23, 2022 07:00 - 2 minutesPortland songwriter Laura Veirs’ new single “Winter Windows” forecasts a new album this summer, “Found Light,” due oout July 8. It’s a cathartic experience that embraces her process for shedding skin, stretching into personal liberation after a painful split from her longtime husband and producer and the added stress of a couple of pandemic years, channeled through the sound of fuzzy guitars and punk energy.
Watson Twins: ‘Two Timin'
May 20, 2022 07:00 - 3 minutesThere’s no sibling rivalry between The Watson Twins, just familial harmony found where their voices meet. Digging deeper into their Americana roots, the twins take on honky-tonk energy on this stomper about cheatin’ and dancin,’ “Two Timin,” featuring Butch Walker.
J Rocc: ‘One’
May 19, 2022 07:00 - 1 minuteAn extraordinary original turntablist and founding member of the Beat Junkies, J Rocc helped transform the craft into an art form and is a seminal figure in the rise of instrumental hip-hop. “A Wonderful Letter,” his first album in over ten years, is scheduled for release on June 17 and features tons of talented friends, including Steve Arrington and The Koreatown Oddity. But today, the spotlight’s all on him with the outstanding sound of “One.” Catch J Rocc live at Lodge Room on June 24.