The superproducer reflects on choosing joy, the power of the Instagram scroll, and the voices that make up his deeply moving instant classic album.

Fred again… Breaks Down Every Song on Actual Life (April 14 - December 17 2020)

As KEXP celebrates its 50th anniversary, we're looking back at the last half-century of music. Each week in 2022, KEXP pays homage to a different year and our writers are commemorating with one song from that year that resonates with them. This week, Martin Douglas explores a heavy year and a half of his life through Earl Sweatshirt's 2015 single "Grief."

Read the full article: https://www.kexp.org/read/2022/6/1/50-years-music-2015-earl-sweatshirt-grief/

50 Years of Music: 2015 — Earl Sweatshirt - "Grief"

KEXP is celebrating our 50th anniversary this year, and we're looking back at the last half-century of music. Each week in 2022, KEXP pays homage to a different year, and our writers are commemorating a song from that year that resonates with them. This week, KEXP's Dusty Henry looks at Jeff Buckley's 1994 masterpiece 'Grace' and how "Lover, You Should've Come Over" might be his greatest artistic achievement. 

Read the article here: https://www.kexp.org/read/2022/8/10/50-years-of-music-1994-jeff-buckley-lover-you-shouldve-come-over/

50 Years of Music: 1994 – Jeff Buckley - “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over”

On the show this time, it’s the end-of-empire Southern-gothic Americana-dread of Ethel Cain. Her latest “Preacher’s Daughter” is available on Daughters of Cain Records.

Live On KEXP

Live On KEXP, Episode 371 - Ethel Cain

On the show this time, it’s the cinematic piano and electronics of Hania Rani.  The Polish pianist’s latest album “On Giacometti” will be released on Gondwana Records.  She continues to  expand on her film score ambient classical atmospherics, using electronics and her clear wistful voice.  In this episode we touch on origin story and influences and then get right to the music as these works are a bit longer.  This performance features 3 previously unreleased pieces, and one - “Buka” from her 2020 release “Home.”

Live On KEXP, Episode 372 - Hania Rani

On the show this time, it’s the epic afrobeat-rap-rock disco-garage-prog of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.  Their latest albums “Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava”, “Laminated Denim”, “Changes”, and “Live at Red Rocks 22” are available on Bandcamp.

Live On KEXP, Episode 376 - King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

On the show this time, it’s the punk charisma and energetic currency of Amyl and the Sniffers. Their second studio album, “Comfort to Me,” came out in 2021 on B2B Records.

Live on KEXP, Episode 377 - Amyl and the Sniffers

On the show this time, it's the bossanova electro pop of Sofi Tukker. Their latest album “WET TENNIS” (which stands for “When Everyone Tries To Evolve, Nothing Negative Is Safe” is available on Ultra Music.

Live On KEXP, Episode 391 - Sofi Tukker

On the show this time, it’s the spell-binding heavy-rock of All Them Witches. Their latest album is “Nothing As Ideal” released on New West Records.

Live On KEXP, Episode 402 - All Them Witches

On the show this time, dance your butt right off with London producers Jungle.  Their latest record “Volcano” is available on Caiola Records.

Live On KEXP, Episode 421 - Jungle

On the show this time, it’s the brilliant intensity of the veteran New York City band - Blonde Redhead.  Their latest is called “Sit Down For Dinner” and it’s available on Section1 Records.

Live On KEXP, Episode 426 - Blonde Redhead

On the show this time, it's a high energy set of music from Bay area producer DJ Shadow. His latest album is called “Action Adventure” and is available through Mass Appeal.

Live On KEXP, Episode 436 - DJ Shadow

On the show this time, it’s the contemporary jazz and black classical music of Yussef Dayes.  His debut solo album “Black Classical Music” is available through Brownswood Recordings and Nonesuch Records.

Live On KEXP, Episode 444 - Yussef Dayes

On the show this time, it’s jazz, it's Afrobeat, it’s KOKOROKO! Their latest release is the EP “Get the Message” available on Brownswood Recordings.

Live on KEXP, Episode 471 - KOKOROKO

On the show this time, it's Ólafur Arnalds, and Janus Rasmussen making music together as Kiasmos. Their latest album together is simply titled “II” and is available on Erased Tapes.


Live on KEXP, Episode 478 - Kiasmos

On the show this time, it’s the Belarusian synth-pop of Molchat Doma.   Molchat Doma is a post-punk, synth-pop, new-wave electronic band from Minsk, Belarus.  Their latest is Belaya Polosa or White Stripe, available on Sacred Bones records.

Live on KEXP, Episode 488 - Molchat Doma

On the show this time, it’s the Indonesian funk of Ali.  Ali incorporates 70’s soul, disco, and afrobeat with elements of arabic and middle eastern music.  They released their first single “Dance, Habibi” in 2001, and followed up with their debut album Malaka in 2023 on Anukara records.  Their latest EP - Patterns was released independently.

Live on KEXP, Episode 489 - Ali

On the show this time, it's the heavy-rock of alt-metal pioneers, Helmet. Helmet’s tunings, rhythms, and chord voicings are startlingly original, and easily as heavy as anything that came before or after them.  Their latest releases are the studio album Left available through earMUSIC, and Move On, a compilation of covers and live tracks.

Live on KEXP, Episode 490 - Helmet

On the show this time, it’s the danceable singalong punk-rock of Scottish band Franz Ferdinand.  They released their debut single in 2003.  They followed it up with “Take Me Out” in early 2004. After a slow start, the song caught on, partly thanks to heavy rotation on MTV.  They were awarded the Mercury Prize, and their debut album sold millions of copies.  They’ve been on a steady roll since, recently releasing their 6th studio album The Human Fear available through the Domino Recording Company. 


Live on KEXP, Episode 491 - Franz Ferdinand

On the show this time, it’s the northern African desert-blues of Etran de l’Aïr.  The group is a family band from the city of Agadez in Niger, who got their start playing weddings.  They play guitar driven desert blues, made for dancing.  They sing in chorus, in Tamasheq, filling the air with glorious celebratory Saharan music.  Their latest album is “100 Percent Sahara Guitar”  available on Sahel Sounds out of Portland Oregon.

Live on KEXP, Episode 492 - Etran de L'Aïr

On the show this time, it’s motorik psych-rock from a Japanese beach, with maya ongaku. They hail from the island of Enoshima, famed for a shrine to Buddhist deity Benzaiten.  They play long-form psych rock, sometimes meditative, sometimes folky, sometimes even jazzy.  Their debut Approach to Anima features quiet singing, fingerstyle guitars, ambient recordings of bird calls, acoustic percussion, flute and saxophone, and spoken word.  Their latest EP Electronic Phantoms leans more towards drum machines for the rhythm samples, and rich synth-tronica to balance the guitars.  Both are available on Guruguru Brain.


Live on KEXP, Episode 493 - maya ongaku

On the show this time, it’s the hook-laden, R&B chill-groove of English electronica producers Maribou State.
Chris Davids and Liam Ivory have been releasing music as Maribou State since 2011.  They grew up just north of London, and started making music together when they met in school.  In addition to creating their own music, they have had success as remixers, for artists like Lana Del Ray and Fatboy Slim.  They’ve built a community of musicians, and collaboration is part of their process.  Their latest offering is Hallucinating Love, which is their 3rd full length album. It is available on Ninja Tune.

Live on KEXP, Episode 494 - Maribou State

On the show this time, it’s the return of Moroccan dance-rockers Bab L’Bluz. Their latest is called Swaken and is available on Real World.  

Live on KEXP, Episode 495 - Bab L'Bluz

On the show this time, it’s the R&B-electronica solo record of little Dragon front-human Yukimi. Her debut solo album is called For You and is available on Ninja Tune.


Live on KEXP, Episode 496 - Yukimi

On the show this time, it's the Peruvian-influenced, rock n roll-cumbia, of Chicha Libre.   They’ve released an EP - Cuatro tigres, and two studio albums - Sonido Amazonico! and Canibalismo - all available on Bandcamp and their own Barbés Records imprint.

Live on KEXP, Episode 497 - Chicha Libre

On the show this time, it’s the Nigerian Afrobeat of Seun Kuti and Egypt 80.

Seun Kuti is Afrobeat royalty - the son of Fela Kuti, and the leader of Fela’s former band Egypt 80, since 1997.  He’s released 7 studio albums since then, playing saxophone and singing in addition to running the band.  Their latest is Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) available on Record Kicks out of Milan, Italy.


Live on KEXP, Episode 498 - Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

On the show this time, it’s the indie R&B of South Asian-American singer Raveena. She self released her first EP Shanti in 2017, and the single “If Only” blew up, especially after an appearance on Berlin-based minimalist YouTube channel COLORSXSTUDIOS.  Her latest is her 3rd studio album Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain, available on Empire imprint - Moonstone Recordings.


Live on KEXP, Episode 499 - Raveena

On the show this time, we’re celebrating our 500th episode! Thank you to all of you who have listened and supported the show over the last 10 years.  We’re releasing this into the world just one day later in the year than the very first episode featuring Courtney Barnett dropped on September 14th back in 2015.  

liveonkexp500_LONG VERSION WEB ONLY

On the show this time, it’s the rich storytelling of Matt Berninger.  Matt Berninger is, of course, the front-person for The National, a band that has been writing perfect songs to live your life to, since they formed back in 1999.  His first “solo” record, Serpentine Prison, was produced by Memphis legend Booker T Jones, and they started a label together to put it out.  His latest offering is called Get Sunk and it is available on Book Records.

Live on KEXP, Episode 501 - Matt Berninger

On the show this time, it’s the brilliant songs and transcendent singing of Seattle’s own Deep Sea Diver.
Deep Sea Diver is at its core, the dynamic duo of guitarist and singer Jessica Dobson, and drummer Peter Mansen. They released their first EP in 2009, followed up by the albums History Speaks, Secrets, and Impossible Weight.  They played a live session in the Gathering Space at KEXP - with bandmates Elliot Jackson, Kristyn Chapman, and Michael Dondero - to celebrate their latest Billboard Heart.  It is available on Sub Pop Records.

Live on KEXP, Episode 502 - Deep Sea Diver

Prolific Australian garage rockers, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard return to KEXP for episode 100 of Under The Needle. The band last visited KEXP in the Fall of 2015, but since that time they’ve released six full-length albums including their latest LP “Murder of the Universe.” This 7-piece band features two drummers, a slough of guitarists and a whole lot of fuzz.

Under The Needle, Episode 100 - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley of Portishead sit down for an exclusive interview over Skype with KEXP DJ Morgan Chosnyk. This is the cleaned up, yet unscripted full interview, warts and fun and all in which they tell the story of their beginnings and the making of this iconic, game-changing document.

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