As Kaoru Ishibashi himself admits, a year ago no one knew who he was. Now, with his musical project Kishi Bashi, he's selling out shows with his intricate and ecstatic performances. Inspired by as much by free jazz as bluegrass, hip-hop, and classical music, Kishi Bashi's baroque indie pop easily d…
We're weeks away from the release of the new Cloud Nothings album, Life Without Sound, and here's another sneak peek with a video for the track "Internal World." Director Jonny Look provides an instructional clip from the "Department of Human Being Assimilation," which may or may not help the liza…
With Decibel Festival ending its incredible decade-long run, there was a void in Seattle that the Chance of Rain Festival is poised to fill. The inaugural five-day fest kicks off tonight, presenting art, fashion, and music in nightly showcases at venues across the city: Q Nightclub, Crocodile, Re-b…
Zola Jesus is releasing her 6th album Okovi in September via Sacred Bones. She previously shared the lead single "Exhumed" and today the correlating video for the song has been released. Directed by Jacqueline Castel, the creepy black and white footage bears a resemblance to The Ring, with a simila…
It's been a long wait for Ted Leo fans, who haven't gotten new material from him since 2010's Brutalist Bricks, but hope is on the horizon. His next LP The Hanged Man will be released on September 8 and he's offered us the lead single "You're Like Me." The single is a dark detailing of sexual assau…
The music of Duluth, MN-based trio Low has always evoked great emotion, so it's no surprise their videos do, too (except for that one with John Stamos; we don't talk about that). For the track "Lies," off their latest Sub Pop full-length Ones And Sixes, the band turned to Spanish film director Man…
Grammy-nominated singer Mary Lambert has been doing things for herself lately. And, she says, it feels exhilarating. But between performances and business moves – like signing her own distribution deal and releasing her latest EP, Bold, in May – she’s been playing a lot of The Sims computer game, c…
After the band finished ripping through a particularly danceable rendition of "Spirit" off their new record Singles, Future Islands frontman Sam Herring looked down at his sweat soaked shirt and pants. After a failed attempt to wring a piece of it out, he just laughed along with the rest of the cro…
Congrats is one of the most aptly titled records to come out in the past few years. Truly, Toronto electronic band Holy Fuck face a very welcome return to the scene with this year's record. Given the strength of the band's discography and the influence they've held on the Toronto electronic scene, …
You can't help but note the stylization of their name: Elliott BROOD. The Toronto-area trio practically over emphasize their music's dark tendencies but it's with a touch of comedy that's always present in their stage shows. It's the one of the reasons KEXP DJs and listeners have loved the band for…
ADULT. for nearly 20 years, consistently evolving their sound over six studio albums released on revered labels Mute, Ghostly International, Thrill Jockey, as well as their own imprint, Ersatz Audio. Currently in the midst of a stacked US tour in support of their new collaborative-heavy studio albu…
Closing up Decibel Festival is no small task, but if anyone is up to the task and still ready to party after four previous nights of madness, it's LA hip hop collective Friends of Friends. The group houses a brilliant group of young musicians, specializing in electronic, trap, hip-hop, and experime…
Tonight, during the Prom Night with Allen Stone: The Official Bumbershoot 2013 Music Lineup Announcement at The Crocodile -- you guessed it -- the music acts of the Seattle summer festival were revealed. One of the most exciting acts? Local heroes Death Cab for Cutie performing Transatlanticism in …
Everything I've ever thought about MØ is wrong. Well, maybe not all of it – I think she put together an incredible debut LP this year with No Mythologies To Follow, and I think that hard work has put her in league with the leaders of the new wave of indie pop like Grimes, Charli XCX, and others. Bu…
Resident Advisor is among the best online magazines for electronic music fans out there since 2001, and their showcase at Decibel Festival was nothing to be messed with. Not only did they pull from local talent, but they are responsible for bringing Actress to Decibel, a feat which was met with a m…
It's no surprise that British downtempo pop group London Grammar sold out their second Seattle show in six months Saturday night. Back when they played the Crocodile at the end of September, their excellent first full length If You Wait had just come out only weeks before in the states. Now that it…
Death Cab for Cutie is a band that embodies change. From the light-hearted melancholy of "Photobooth" to the heavy-handed post-marital blows of "Cath...", Death Cab have shown us hundreds of ways in which circumstances shift and we find ourselves to be different people when the light changes. We mi…
In the haze of the smoke machines and blue lighting at the Crocodile, as a packed in crowd at a sold out show danced relentlessly to the bass-heavy tracks booming from the stage, we collectively celebrate one thing: brilliant songwriting. If there's one commonality between the two acts on the bill …
Man alive, is it a good time to be the 80s or what? We have Stranger Things still tearing up the Netflix ratings, and the show's soundtracking band S U R V I V E on a world tour behind their new album (you can catch them at Crocodile 10/12). Death Waltz and Mondo are introducing a new generation to…
