Seattle's Joe Martinez brings old-school skills into a contemporary world every time he gets behind his beloved turntables as Scratchmaster Joe to unleash his wildly unpredictable sets. The renowned turntablist has competed in DJ battles all over the world, and his workmanlike philosophy towards DJ…
Mike Fuller serves up a baker's dozen of super-rockin' tunes that he's unearthed since settling into the captain's chair on Shake the Shack. 1. The Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Depression2. Southern Culture on the Skids - Dirt Road3. Eleven Hundred Springs - Raise Hell, Drink Beer4. The Hi-Risers - …
Next on the KEXP broadcast live from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves 2016 was incredibly talented American singer Adia Victoria. Hailing from South Carolina, Adia was raised by a devout seventh-day-adventist family, and was isolated from much of popular culture for most of her childhood. In high sch…
Despite their being named after my favorite brand of pants and the fact that I loved me some poppy punk rock music in my early teens, I don't believe I ever got into The Dickies. Maybe they were just a little too goofy for me, or maybe I was so busy with the output of Dischord and Lookout! Records …
There is something both completely Polish and non-Polish about Lautari, the band featured this week in our series of Polish bands KEXP recorded while at the OFF Festival in Katowice. The award-winning ethno-jazz quartet, whose members hail from central and southern Poland, draw their name from the …
London's William Doyle creates innovative, beautifully-constructed, critically-acclaimed music under the name East India Youth. While he's only been active for a few years at this point, he's quickly turned heads with his 2014 Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Total Strife Forever, and his recent 2015…
Wo' Pop host Darek Mazzone had a chance to spend some time in China this year and dug deep into the country's amazing indie music scene: "I was blown away by the complexity, range, and fervor of what I found. I feel that China could be one of the next hotbeds of music and culture - it's just …
I'm very excited to announce the launch of Immigrant Songs, a cool new series that highlights foreign-born musicians and their music along with unique stories of the immigrant experience. I'll be curating the series alongside Wo' Pop host Darek Mazzone. While Derek and I have always championed a wi…
Through in-studio performances, interviews with local and national artists, co-curators and DJs Darek Mazzone and Chilly explore the immigrant experience.
This Wednesday, November 16th, Brooklyn is stepping out to pay tribute to the Beastie Boys’ 1989 masterpiece Paul’s Boutique, an album that KEXP dissected last year. The event is being organized by the Hip Hop Loves Foundation, a non-profit based in New York with a worldwide reach, and a mission to…
This Saturday, KEXP presents Reykjavik Calling, the sister city showcase featuring some of the best bands and artists emerging from Seattle and Reykjavik. It's our seventh year featuring this cross-cultural musical exploration, and one of the two acts traveling here from Iceland is long-time KEXP f…
Seattle's Supreme La Rock (a.k.a. Danny Clavesilla) is a local legend and internationally respected DJ that continues to bring authentic DJ culture to the forefront every time he steps up to the decks. Also a renowned crate digger and vinyl enthusiast who was instrumental in placing a contemporary …
The Pacific Northwest and the mid-Atlantic will converge again on Saturday, October 14th at Reykjavik Calling, presented by KEXP. As the musical leg of the Taste of Iceland festival -- which celebrates its 10th anniversary this week -- Reykjavik Calling pulls together some of the most exciting musi…
El Sonido is a three hour trip around the diverse world of Latin music and culture from South, Central and North America, as well as Spain and the rest of the globe.
The focus is on new music and the growing Latin alternative scene, but traditional styles, both old and new are also regularly spot…
This Saturday, KEXP is heading down to Waterfront Park to "Rock the Dock" with a lineup with acts from all around the Northwest. This FREE, all-ages event includes performances from Portland punks The Thermals, Seattle's power-pop enthusiasts Bread & Butter, versatile Seattle songwriter Jenn Ch…
Portland synth pop legends STRFKR are no strangers to KEXP, but they came through the studio once again after returning stateside from a quick jaunt over to Japan and played a quick set that included cuts spanning their whole career. Their sound has often been difficult to define: at times straight…
Of Monsters and Men are no longer the undiscovered artists who charmed audiences across the web back in 2010 with their intimate, stripped back living room performance, recorded by KEXP, of “Little Talks”. Since signing to a major label subsidiary, Republic Records, for their debut album in 2011, t…