In Our Headphones

Orion Sun - "Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me)" from the 2020 album Hold Space For Me on Mom + Pop Records. Philadelphia’s Orion Sun – aka songwriter Tiffany Majette – made her official full-length debut earlier this year with Hold Space For Me, but she’s been honing her craft for years with multi-instrumentalist expertise. Bringing in sounds of R&B, soul, and pop together, she tells her story with enthralling prose and dazzling production.  Her single “Ne Me Quitte Passe (Don’t Leave Me)” takes inspiration from Nina Simone’s rendition of Jacques Brel’s song of the same name. Yet Majette opts to flip the feeling of sadness in Simone’s song and seek joy. Majette describes her song as being about “falling in love unexpectedly & feeling like its too good to be true but actually it’s good and true. This feeling was proof to me that good things can happen to people that feel ugly inside.”  You can feel it in the lift of her voice as she sings “It feels so good know” you over sparse beats and plucks of guitar. It’s a song for getting lost in hopeless romance, embracing tenderness and living in the bliss of the moment.   Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A message from Kevin Cole, Afternoon Show host and Chief Content Officer, on behalf of KEXP. We urge anyone who is looking to learn more about and support ongoing racial justice to visit our page with Anti-Racist and Social Justice Resources. There you will find organizations and funds for donations, online petitions, and resources for education and allyship. Thank you.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chicano Batman - "I know It" from the 2020 album Invisible People on ATO. On their fourth LP Invisible People, Los Angeles-based band Chicano Batman return with their unique fusion of funk, psych-pop, R&B, and more, fine-tuned by GRAMMY-award winning engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs) and producer Leon Michels (Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Lee Fields & The Expressions). “This album is an evolution from our last one in that we put much more thought in our approach to the songwriting and production before hitting record,” guitarist Carlos Arévalo said via a press release. “We went in with a plan that helped guide the musical direction. We demoed songs for over a year before going into the studio as well. In the past, we’d pool some songs together, rehearse them for a few weeks and go in and simply record them. This time we had a much more elaborate MO; replace organs with synthesizers, make the guitars funkier, and have the drums and bass play beats that make your head bob up and down." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hollis - "Heavy Hands" from the 2020 half-life EP on Hollis. Throughout the month of May, KEXP has been celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We’re putting an extra spotlight this week on API artists with this week’s Song of the Day picks, capping off with Hollis’ “Heavy Hands.” The Seattle local, whom you might recognize from her other project The Flavr Blue, is at her most soulful on the track. Waxing poetic on her inner struggles, Hollis finds self-realization that she can no longer wait for existential answers and finding power in the fact that there’s “no escaping myself.” Though it may read as a ballad, there’s empowerment to be found in Hollis’ words and her smooth, emotional vocal performance. — Dusty HenrySupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

K!MMORTAL - "Breathe," a 2020 self-released single. Throughout the month of May, KEXP has been celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We’re putting an extra spotlight this week on API artists with this week’s Song of the Day picks, continuing with K!MMORTAL’s “Breathe.” "Breathe” was released for the current moment of uncertainty during the global pandemic but actually has its roots in much earlier. The Vancouver B.C. rapper wrote and recorded the song back in 2016 but recently released the track on Bandcamp, feeling it made sense for the these “highly fraught times.” K!MMORTAL dazzles with immaculate flow over glossy, dripping beats, culminating in a reminder to breathe and a reminder that we’ll be alright. Take a deep inhale, put on this song, and allow yourself the same moment of clarity K!MMORTAL exudes on this track. — Dusty HenrySupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lightning Bug - "The Onely Ones," a 2020 single on Fat Possum. Throughout the month of May, KEXP has been celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We’re putting an extra spotlight this week on API artists with this week’s Song of the Day picks, continuing with Lightning Bug’s “The Only Ones.” Helmed by songwriter Audrey Kang, Lightning Bug has been making hazy, swooning music since arriving on the scene in 2015 with her project’s self-titled debut and continuing through last year’s excellent October Song LP. But if you’re just learning about Lightning Bug, her latest single “The Onely Ones” offers a spectacular entry point, with washes of guitar static and Kang’s effervescent vocal performance. It’s a beautiful sonic fog, one you won’t mind losing yourself in. — Dusty HenrySupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MYXA - "Carrion" from the 2019 self-released album Mosca 蠅. Throughout the month of May, KEXP has been celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We’re putting an extra spotlight this week on API artists with this week’s Song of the Day picks, continuing with MYXA’s “Carrion.” The Seattle trip-hop duo emerged last year with their dark and vibey debut MOSCA EP. The murky atmosphere is all consuming, heightened by Irene Fan’s haunting vocals coming in and out of the ghostly beats. “Carrion” also features lyrics contributed by South African author Ian S. Thomas, adding to the heady and immersive experience. — Dusty HenrySupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MAITA - "Someone's Lost Their Wallet" from the 2020 album Best Wishes on Kill Rock Stars. Throughout the month of May, KEXP has been celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We’re putting an extra spotlight this week on API artists with this week’s Song of the Day picks, starting off with MAITA’s excellent “Someone’s Lost Their Wallet.”  Read an excerpt from KEXP writer Martin Douglas’ previous debut on the track: “[MAITA’s] ‘Someone's Lost Their Goddamn Wallet,’ setting the pace as the second track on Best Wishes (out May 15th on Kill Rock Stars), is steeped in the songwriting tradition of jaunty, lighthearted folk-rock being used as a Trojan Horse for the creeping dread of existentialism. It's 3 AM and the party is still moving through the night presumably without incident or noise complaints, both the front and back door are being used, bodies are moving around in the enjoyably predictable way they always move around at parties.” Read our premiere of the track on KEXP.org. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve finally reached World Goth Day and DJ Abbie is going out with a bang – or rather a “Ravebomb.” This alternate mix from the Vancouver B.C. techno outfit lives up to its name. It’s a haunted eruption of sound, shrieking against the clamoring of drums. Bold, unrelenting, and even a bit frightening, it hits all the hallmarks of goth music. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oakland’s Houses of Heaven takes us into the homestretch of DJ Abbie’s Song of the Day pics leading into World Goth Day on May 22. The center piece of the group’s debut LP, “A Place Between” is quintessential goth with sharp, spelling-binding and dissonant percussion and whirls of cryptic drones and vocals. Playing the track loudly invokes the feeling of sweatily dancing in an underground club moments before stepping outside for the breath of invigorating fresh air.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.