Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Gabriel Teodros, host of Early on KEXP, is "Bliss" by MMYYKK feat. Ricki Monique, from the 2023 album The Midst of Things on SwayHeavy Records.
On his latest LP, The Midst of Things, Minneapolis-based musician and instrumentalist MMYYKK (pronounced "Mike") reflects on the state of the country today. Today's Song of the Day asks the questions, “Who can I trust in a world of deep fakes? Is there any objective truth in a world with 'alternative facts'? Is there one true reality or is it all subjective?"
"This album is also the culmination of my processing of the trauma and hardship I experienced over the pandemic and civil unrest in Minneapolis over the last few years," he explains on his Bandcamp. "The deep levels of depression that come with living in a black body in this country. The rejection, the anger and frustration, and the fear of having my body destroyed simply for expressing that anger in the presence of the wrong white body."
He adds, "My goal with this album is to provoke conversations and create engagement around these questions and themes. but also to give you something new and inspiring while opening you up to the full spectrum of my sound and voice."
