Today's Top Tune

“A Lesson in Leavin’” had an impromptu debut at Stagecoach Festival earlier this year and was simply too good to abandon in the desert. So Sierra Ferrell and Nikki Lane have teamed up once again to record and release their harmony-dripping version of Dottie West’s classic country song. You can (and should) download it now to live forever in your digital library.

What happens when you pair a great guitar player with a badass bassist? You get mind-bending sounds from gifted producer and multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills — known for his work with Alabama Shakes and Bob Dylan — and Grammy-winner Pino Palladino who has reshaped how we hear the bass. See: Palladino’s collaborations with everyone from Erykah Badu to Nine Inch Nails. “Taka” is hard to pin down, but easy to take in. And you can take it in IRL, because Pino Palladino & Blake Mills are hitting The Ford on Friday, Sept. 26.

Men I Trust are winding their way through the USA on their biggest tour yet. It’s happening in the wake of two albums released just a few months apart in 2025: Equus Asinsus and Equus Caballus (Latin for donkey and horse, respectively). Early in the process of writing and recording, they realized they’d written songs with two distinct energies, each equally meaningful to the band. So they decided to put two albums out at (basically) the same time. “Come Back Down” is from Equus Caballus. 

Ozomatli is a band of activists who use music as a weapon for confronting inequity on their new song “Red Line.” “This track is a statement of solidarity,” says founding member Raul Pacheco. “We’re singing for everyone trying to make a life in a system built to hold them back.”  The Grammy-winning ensemble is currently celebrating their thirtieth anniversary as a band with shows all across the country. If you’re reading this in SoCal, you have plenty of opportunity to see the legends in action: Friday, Sept. 12 – Monday, Sept 15 Ozomatli will be part of the Super Legends Cruise (departing from from Long Beach), Friday, Oct. 17 they’ll be at The Venice West, and Saturday, Oct. 18 they hit Warehouse 9 in San Pedro.   

Americana duo Marfa makes music that ties Laurel Canyon to West Texas. Their vibrant sound is a proverbial hay bale of beautiful harmonies and foot-stomping good times. No matter how bad their hearts might be breaking, as you’ll hear on “Little Miss Two Time,” Marfa makes being left high and dry (almost) sound fun.  

Discodelic-funk-punk trio Say She She just dropped “Under The Sun,” a tasty treat from their forthcoming third album Cut & Rewind (out Oct 3). It’s their dreamiest, most sway-ready song to date. Written during the WGA strike in 2023, the song is a summery ode to standing up to the man. Plus, it leaves plenty of room for the cognitive dissonance that comes from living in an idyllic setting… while also struggling under the weight of immense pressure.  

“Until the End of the World,” the first single from electro-wizard John Tejada’s forthcoming album The Watchline, is contemplative yet propulsive. Its shifting rhythms and saturated atmospheres are expertly woven together by Tejada’s steady hands. The result is a piece that’s both deeply felt and ultimately elusive.

Iconic troubadour Grant-Lee Phillips—best known for his songwriting achievements with 1990s band Grant Lee Buffalo—is just weeks away from dropping his 12th solo LP In The Hour of Dust. “She Knows Me,” comes to us from that album and is one of his most personal songs yet; an ode to his longtime partner and an acknowledgement of the fears and insecurities that come knocking in the wee hours of the night.  P.S. In The Hour of Dust has a very cool backstory that was inspired by a visit to the Norton Simon Art Museum in Pasadena. There, Phillips wandered the elegant halls to look at a collection of detailed paintings from India, one of which shares the title to this new record. Read about the insights gleaned from the experience in his own words here. And catch Grant-Lee Phillips for an intimate performance at McCabe’s Guitar Shop on Saturday, Nov. 8.

What do you get when Hermanos Gutiérrez teams up with Leon Bridges? “Elegantly Wasted,” the Ecuadorian-Swiss, guitar wizard brother duo’s first song ever to feature English lyrics. By tapping their recent tourmate Bridges for the project, they’ve treated us to a sonic expansion of each artist's signature sound. The result is undulating rhythms,  silky vocals, and impeccable vibes. P.S. Prepare to swoon, because Hermanos Gutiérrez will be live at The Libbey Bowl in Ojai on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Sofie Royer spent a long time as the opening act for NYC multi-instrumentalists Rebounder. Naturally, they decided to join forces on the sexy new single “Tennis Bracelet.” Pick up this bouncy little number for a signature summer song ready to fulfill all of your playlisting needs.  

Yola hit the music scene hard and fast with her 2019 debut, Walk Through Fire. Lately she’s been showing off her acting chops—as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 Best Picture nominee ELVIS, and Persephone in Hadestown on Broadway. Despite the detours, her songwriting skills are as potent as ever. Check out the high power track “Amazing.” This song, from her new EP My Way, is one she penned while dating stateside and imagining her future partner. Yola says: “I was in a function of actively manifesting those lyrics, and then when I met my person, the lyrics made sense.”

History of Silence (due Sept. 19) is the first new album from Icelandic outfit múm since 2013’s Smilewood. The new LP became something of a puzzle, taking two years to record, deconstruct, and put back together. The title hints at the album’s tone, but even though the songs are delicate, their color and boldness shines through. “Mild At Heart” reveals a carefully handpicked palette of electronic and analog sounds; an intricate introduction to the album. Immerse yourself in múm’s world when they play The Regent Theater on Thursday, Oct. 9.  

Yttling Jazz is the heavy-hitting project of Swedish producer and songwriter Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn & John). With help from luminescent singer Joshua Idehen, Yttling Jazz’s instrumental  “Illegal Hit” is reimagined into a new shape; a fabulously unpredictable spoken word dance track. 

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.