Through in-studio performances, interviews with local and national artists, co-curators and DJs Darek Mazzone and Chilly explore the immigrant experience.
When attempting to describe electronic music, natural and organic are usually quite far down on the list of adjectives used. But Saturday's Decibel Fest 2015 Sublime Showcase showed Seattle how the natural and organic can be beautifully integrated into cold and computing machines to make captivati…
I don't know about you, but I feel like it's been a long time coming for Phantogram. Maybe that's just because the New York two piece has found a way to write songs that stick with you and make a deeper, lasting impact on the heart and mind than their counterparts. Or, maybe they've just spent thei…
London post-punk band White Lies have never done anything small. Upon transitioning from their old band Fear of Flying to new, more epic material in 2007, this UK three piece has only pushed for bigger and better as time has gone on. Their 2009 debut To Lose My Life… showcased their unique take on …
UK electronic chameleon Zomby is one of those few artists from whom we've only seen improvement since his beginnings. Back in 2008, Zomby's full-length debut came in the form of Where Were You in '92?, an over the top, muddy 90s rave soundtrack that played excellent tribute to the scene of days pas…
For longtime followers of the band, it's a little strange that Modest Mouse has now spent more time as a big-name ticket than a scrappy indie rock band from Issaquah, but in retrospect, the band's current status goes along with Modest Mouse's singular trajectory. Although many would label them with…
Tom Krell has always been a thinker. On 2010 debut Love Remains, Krell introduced us to his unique blend of slow jam R&B and heady philosophy (what he studied at school in Brooklyn and Cologne, Germany) with an unforgettable collection of heartbreaking magic. On 2012 breakthrough Total Loss, Kr…
Can you believe it? This Friday, August 26th is the last concert of the 2016 Concerts at the Mural series. It's been an amazing summer of free, all ages music on the lawn of the Mural Amphitheatre! We're gonna close out August with another amazing line-up, and, it's Donor Appreciation Night, so wea…
A year after his debut album release, it is no doubt that Benjamin Booker is a rockstar. He's played the festival main stages, toured across the country, and even guitar dueled with Jack White. It's deserved notoriety for a man who makes such a unique blend of punk, rock, blues and folk. And even w…
Welcome to 'Pacific Notions' with DJ Alex. Every Sunday morning from 6-9 a.m PT, 'Pacific Notions' will showcase the best in neo-classical and ambient music, with explorations into downtempo, new age, post-rock, and other atmospheric styles.
While traditional classical music has long found a home…
There are few producers on the scene today with as much silent sway as Clams Casino. Over the last six years especially, the New Jersey beat-maker has completely changed the approach to emotion and empathy in beat-making. Artists like A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, and Vince Staples have been able to thri…
It's been five years since Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have toured America, and in the unique and never-predictable story of Nick Cave, five years is a long time. After the release of 2008's Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, Nick has authored the screenplay for a major motion picture, published his second nove…
Tuesday, April 11th is a very special edition of The Round at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center, curated by Audioasis on KEXP’s DJ Sharlese! The showcase will feature amazing female talent from the Seattle area: musicians QOQO ROBOQS, Haley Heynderickx (PDX), guest poet Imani Sims, and live painter Sie…
Last year, Zola Jesus returned to the scene with a new look, a new label, and new vastness that she's never shown off before. Taiga, her first LP on Mute, puts Nika on a new plane of existence, much more natural and much stronger than she's ever presented herself to be before. And with it, she has …
When Rose Windows released their debut album last year, it was obvious that the Seattle music scene was in for something special. Founded by songwriter Chris Cheveyo in 2010, Rose Windows has become a band that delivers the perfect amount of '60s nostalgia while still sounding unlike anyone else. W…
In only a few quick years, James Blake's name and reputation have grown exponentially. Back in 2010, he pioneered the "post-dubstep" genre (consisting of pretty much just him back then) with the much-loved CMYK EP. His mixture of jazz, soul, and bassy undertones made for a rich and unique listening…
It's a big week for new releases, so let's get right into it. First thing on your shopping list: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' latest, Push The Sky Away. Fifteen albums in and Cave & Co. still create unique stunners. As our Music Director, Don Yates, says, it's "a masterful set of brooding, mi…
Next on the Iceland Airwaves broadcast live from Kex Hostel was Icelandic musician Sóley. She's a long-time KEXP favorite, having already played the Airwaves broadcast four times (in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015) as well as an intimate Kex dormitory performance in 2013. Aside from her popular solo wo…
Mexican-Panamian artist Michelle Blades brings a vast range of influences to her unique transcontinental post-psych.