Today's Top Tune

Arc De Soleil will put you in a trance with his swirling, cinematic sounds. The project is helmed by Sri Lankan-born, Stockholm-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Daniel Kadawatha;  a mastermind who writes, performs, produces, and mixes every track himself. Lucious and with sparkling emotion, “Bina Tifa’ finds us ahead of Arc De Soleil’s debut album, Lumin Rain. Catch them live when they hit the stage at The Fonda on Sunday, Sept. 21. 

Soulful Indonesian trio Thee Marloes are hard at work on their sophomore album for Big Crown records, but they still found the time to treat us to a gorgeous new seven inch single.“I’d Be Lost” is the four on the floor A-side, a sweet song singing the praises of love. 

You likely know British-Canadian R&B artist Rochelle Jordan from “Spit It Out,” her recent collaboration with her friend Kaytranada. But Jordan’s been ahead of the curve for over a decade, redesigning her chosen genre through a sound that binds ‘90s soul with UK garage… using futuristic electronic production as her superglue. Ahead of Jordan’s highly anticipated new album Through the Wall (Sept. 26), we give you the title track. 

Singer-songwriter, author, and transcendent storyteller across all mediums—Neko Case—recently announced her first new music of the decade(!). Neon Grey Midnight Green is set for release on Sept. 26 (via Anti) and is  being touted as her “biggest sounding and most intimate-feeling album yet.” Take a listen to “Wreck,” a song that brilliantly explores the feeling of finding love with a fellow flawed human. And prepare to become an emotional wreck yourself while watching Case perform at The Bellwether on Monday, Nov. 10.

We are so  happy to report that 2000s indie rock darlings Fruit Bats have a new album on the horizon. Baby Man (due Sept. 12 via Merge) finds Fruit Bats’ main man Eric D. Johnson in solo mode. Accompanied by either a guitar, banjo, or piano—his new music is spare and affecting. Start with “Stuck In My Head Again” to experience the full range of Johnson’s voice and his raw emotive powers. Catch Fruit Bats (solo) on Friday, Oct 17 at Pico Union Project.

Peruvian producer Sofia Kourtesis hits us with a shot of sonic adrenaline (aka new single “Canela Pura”). The sensual-yet-energetic love song celebrates connecting to another human in a playful way. And there’s more where that came from, Kourtesis’ new EP Volver drops this Friday (Aug. 1) and pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ community, especially all of the brave trans women she feels so fortunate to have met over the past few years. Feel the love for yourself—Sofia Kourtesis opens for SG Lewis at Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Friday, Oct. 10.

Peruvian producer Sofia Kourtesis hits us with a shot of sonic adrenaline (aka new single “Canela Pura”). The sensual-yet-energetic love song celebrates connecting to another human in a playful way. And there's more where that came from, Kourtesis' new EP Volver drops this Friday (Aug. 1) and pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ community, especially all of the brave trans women she feels so fortunate to have met over the past few years. Feel the love for yourself—Sofia Kourtesis opens for SG Lewis at Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Friday, Oct. 10.

Multi-instrumentalist Tom Vek celebrates the twentieth anniversary of his cult-classic, debut album We Have Sound with a ten track remix version. We Have Sound Remixed features artists who have been impacted by the original including alt-J, Baths, and Porij. Leading the way is Dave Bayley of Glass Animals, who was so enamored with the original album that he had the poster in his room. Now Bayley's taking the sonic reins, and sharing this joyous update of “C-C (You Set The Fire In Me).”

Elvin Estela is a hero of the LA underground. Most notably as a co-founder of the taste-making club night Low End Theory, and producing boundary-expanding beats as Nobody. Now he's enjoying a vibrant new chapter as ELESTELA as he plunges the depths of the LA house music scene. Need an entry point? Check out the thick bass notes, crunchy beats, and dance-floor readiness of “Bounce Back.”

Composers and multi-instrumentalists Rachika Nayar & Nina Keith are combining their powers as Disinblud. They recently dropped a self-titled debut album that holds a multitude of beatific sounds, including “Give-upping (Feat. Julianna Barwick).” It's a song for tapping into the Buddhist truth of holding onto past experiences as a source of suffering. Download it now; reach new levels in your meditation practice. And for the immersive experience, KCRW Presents: Disinblud at 2220 Arts on Friday, Oct. 24. 

Leroi Conroy is the alter-ego of Colemine Records' owner, recording artist, and sound designer Terry Cole. And he just dropped a slithering, hypnotic, instrumental called “Panthera Cry,” a piece to whet our appetites for his debut album A Tiger's Tale.  Look out! … For some serious hip-hop drumming, bass dropping, and head-nodding (the latter of which will be your own).

Consummate collaborator Marissa Nadler (Father John Misty, John Cale, Angel Olsen, etc.) will release her tenth studio album New Radiations on Aug. 15 via Sacred Bones Records. The ethereal and haunting title track is just what you need to enjoy a contemplative journey through her dusty, dreamlike soundscapes.

New Jersey-based synth-rock-soul purveyor 54 Ultra slays us with First Work, a six-track EP that contains the Spanglish single “No Tengo Valor.” The song title is open to interpretation: either “I Don't Have Value,” or “I Don't Have The Guts or Valor.” Intense subject matter aside, the song functions as a lighthouse of sonic components as 54 Ultra weaves his Puerto Rican and Dominican roots into a super-catchy (and formidable) Latin Soul number. 

“Mystic” offers a cinematic sneak peak into Other Lives' forthcoming album Volume V (due Oct. 10 via Play It Again Sam). The ten track album marks the latest chapter in the band's saga, and finds them pushing new boundaries with their epic arrangements, melodies, and orchestrations. 

Queens-based artist Juan Wauters' new LP MVD LUV celebrates his hometown of Montevideo, Uruguay. “Manjando Por Pando” (which was world premiered on MBE)  takes its classic songwriting style from candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan musical and dance tradition dating back to the eighteenth century. 

If you're looking for a fight, you found it. Isle of Wight wunderkinds Wet Leg unleash the alluring fury of “catch these fists,” a punchy and frenetic piece from their brand-spanking-new album moisturizer. If you want to catch something other than fists (and why wouldn't you), Wet Leg will be live at The Greek Theatre on Friday, Oct. 17. 

Sometimes a song deserves a simple, straightforward superlative: “gorgeous.” “Le Grand Soleil De Dieu (Psychemagik Remix),” is one of those songs. It's the work of Cameroonian pioneer Francis Bebey, taken from his posthumous album, Trésor Magnétique, and sprinkled with fairy dust… err, remixed by UK-based electronic duo Psychemagik. Dig it, man. 

Grammy-winner Latroit soulfully reimagines the Roy Davis Jr. classic “Gabrielle” … with a little help from Pet Shop Boys' backing vocalist Nick Clow(!). The musical dynamism you'll hear all over the track comes from Latroit's stellar stable of electronic warriors/close collaborators.

The Budos Band have returned with VII, their first new album since 2020's Long In The Tooth. And they're in peak form here; laying down mesmerizing beats against action-packed, big horn grooves that are ready and waiting to transport you to a new realm. Start with the undulating beats and laser focus of “Lair of 1,000 Serpents.” For the fully immersive Budos Band experience, catch ‘em live at the Novo on Friday, Oct. 10. 

Taking their cues from ‘90s shamble-pop greats like Yo La Tengo and The Pastels, the Norwegian trio Twirlies makes a swoon-worthy debut with “Think That I'm In Love.” Classic indiepop sounds for the twenty-first century? Yes please.

Longtime friends FINNEAS and Ashe have a habit of casual collabs that create hits. Think: “Moral of the Story” (2019) and “Till Forever Falls Apart” (2021). Now they've made it official by adopting a new moniker (The Favors) and hitting us with their golden-age-of-Laurel-Canyon-esque new single “The Little Mess You Made.” And that's not all, The Favors have a debut LP set for release on Sept. 19.

KCRW Young Creator's Project alum Raine is back with Backseat, a new EP due in Sept of this year. “To You” is a gentle and open love letter to friendship; a space where Raine explores all of its  pure joys and growing pains. 

You may recognize Tony and Grammy winner Renée Elise Goldsberry from her role as Angelica Schuyler in the filmed version of Hamilton. And while the Broadway musical celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, Goldsberry is stepping out with her own debut album, Who I Really Am. It’s a deeply personal collection of songs that showcase her range as a performer, songwriter, and storyteller. Check out the belting blues of  “Staring” for starters.

You may recognize Tony and Grammy winner Renée Elise Goldsberry from her role as Angelica Schuyler in the filmed version of Hamilton. And while the Broadway musical celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, Goldsberry is stepping out with her own debut album, Who I Really Am. It's a deeply personal collection of songs that showcase her range as a performer, songwriter, and storyteller. Check out the belting blues of  “Staring” for starters.

Born and bred in Western Kentucky, S.G. Goodman is an old soul of a storyteller whose work points to ancient traditions and lost ways of life. Her new album, Planting by the Signs, is her first in three years — and most likely her best work yet. Over eleven songs, Goodman puts forth the notion that the only way forward for any of us is together. Her devotion to the natural world comes to the fore on songs like “Snapping Turtle.”

London’s Night Tapes are set to release their hotly-anticipated debut album,  portals//polarities, on September 26. While we wait, they’ve given us “Pacifico,” a trip hop-flavored number inspired by a friend’s journey to Oaxaca. It’s a state of mind that we all need to reach. (Crate-diggers may also recognize the Billy Cobham sample from Souls of Mischief’s “93 ’Til Infinity.”)

Colombian chanteuse Lido Pimienta broke out in 2020 with her third album, Miss Colombia. And now she’s returned with a masterful new release, La Belleza, which ups the creative ante even further. Pimienta co-produced the album with Owen Pallett, who arranged the album’s nine movements for a 60-piece orchestra. Check out “¿Quién Tiene La Luz? (El Perdón)”, which Pimienta sings from beneath a veil of heartbreak and loss, with an opening section that brings to mind a Gregorian chant.

Erick The Architect is a man with a résumé: his recent collaborators include Jungle, L’Imperatrice, George Clinton, James Blake, and Channel Tres, among many others. But now he’s stepped out on his own again with the third installment of his ARCSTRUMENTALS series. The  EP has a perfect top-down summertime sound, flavored with house and R&B influences, including the tasty “All That I Need” (feat. Haile Supreme).

During the pandemic, Silvana Estrada found herself home alone and broken-hearted. She was also facing some serious insomnia so she picked up her guitar and went to work. “Como Un Pájaro” (“Like A Bird”) is one of the songs that emerged from this period. And now that Estrada is playing live again, it’s become a fan favorite. Get it now as a free download, let it live forever in your digital collection.

AI can’t feel the beat, but Mocky can. That’s why this groovy single uses live instrumentation and analog recording to celebrate the power of the human voice. “Music Will Explain” is the title track from a forthcoming LP which has many songs dedicated to exploring this theme. Grab Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1) on June 27 (via Stones Throw), and see Mocky and friends do it live at Zebulon on Tuesday, July 1.   

Brooklyn-based artist and producer url just dropped this indie-pop love song that’s built from English and French vocal samples. It’s the sonic equivalent of a developing love story, and it’s just the thing to soundtrack daydreams about your latest crush.

Yaya Bey’s “raisins” is all about the bravery required to pursue a career as an artist; dreaming big and keeping the faith through the more sobering realities of the job. Find this song on Bey’s forthcoming album do it afraid, out this Friday, June 20. Catch Yaya Bey live in LA on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Lodge Room. 

LA band Sparks always delights us with their sophisticated-yet-playful songwriting. The duo of brothers Ron and Russell Mael have been at it since the early 1970s and they just dropped their 28th studio album, MAD!. “Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab” is one of the typically witty offerings from that album, and you can download it for free right now. Also be sure to mark your calendar for their LA show at the Greek on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Formed in 2010, Baltimore’s Turnstile are a band that always moves forward boldly and collectively — despite what their name might suggest. Their freshly released album LOOK OUT FOR ME is a whirlwind of fourteen genre-defying songs that sounds a good bit like The Police.  

“Under The Mandarin Moon,” or as Pearl & The Oysters say “Sous la lune mandarine,” is the latest example of the group’s musical superpower: exploring a difficult subject over a wistful, Bossa-nova-tinged tune. This song is the LA band’s abstract attempt at describing the dreadful night when the Eaton fire broke out… an event which directly affected the band and friends from their tight-knit community. Commune with them in person at Lodge Room on Thursday, Jul. 10.

Grammy Award-winning duo NxWorries (Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge) have returned with the dance floor ready banger “Everybody Get’s Down.” Already a steady presence on KCRW’s Top 30 chart, grab it now as a free download and memorize it before they kick off their North American tour this fall — their final stop is the Hollywood Palladium on Oct. 19.

Genre-hopping Swiss outfit L’Eclair are the sonic equivalent of the pastry they’re named after. And to make things even sweeter, they’re teaming up with their “delightfully weird” labelmate Gelli Haha to tap into some heavy, raw funk on “Run.”  

Enjoy the ebullient title track from NYC-based producer Yuno’s debut album, Blest. Honing his skills in his Floridian childhood bedroom eventually led to broader platforms. This includes his experience soundtracking series for Netflix and HBO, as well as supporting artists like Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Superorganism. You’ll feel that collaborative spirit along with some serious warmth on “Blest.”

Prepare to feel all the feels when you tune into this silky-smooth new jam from SOFI TUKKER. “Bread (butter version)” melds Brazilian music and culture with jazz to create this delicious track from butter — the freshly released companion album to SOFI TUKKER’S acclaimed 2024 LP BREAD. The album is a labor of love featuring stellar collaborators including MC Bola, Channel Tres, and — providing today’s slice of perfection — Seu Jorge.

Brooklyn-based trio Nation of Language has an ardent-and-ever-expanding international audience for their danceable take on new wave, post-punk, and shoegaze. Expect new music from Nation of Language — now signed to Sub Pop(!) — throughout 2025. It begins with the exuberant “Inept Apollo.”  

Three-time Grammy-winner Ben Harper has amassed an international audience with his genre-defying work. He’s also revered for his many musical collaborations and the wide array of artists he’s worked with as a producer. “Before The Rain Dried” is the first single from a forthcoming album — an emotional reflection on loss dedicated to his longtime guitarist, Michael Ward. Catch Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals when they cap off their fifteen-city tour on Sunday, Aug. 24 at The Orpheum in LA.

Chi-town indie artist Kai Slater records their quirky, nostalgic, lo-fi ditties under the moniker Sharp Pins. They also produce a rad ‘zine called HALLOGALLO. If you’re a Connie Converse or Big Star fan, download “Sycophant” immediately.