A Deeper Listen

The Australian group Cut Copy released their first album in five years in September — it’s called Moments. KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour spoke with frontman Dan Whitford about Cut Copy’s ongoing journey to blend synthesizers with indie guitars — all in the spirit of creating something danceable.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seattle band Smokey Brights released a new album called Dashboard Heat this fall. The band is playing The Crocodile in Seattle on December 11. Emily Fox caught up with the band to hear about how the songs on the new album reflect the loss of a parent to cancer, the overturning of Roe v Wade and an ode to Seattle’s Northgate Way.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Say She She’s album, Cut & Rewind is one of the most played albums on KEXP in 2025. Emily Fox speaks with the trio about how they met sharing a wall in a New York apartment building, their reflections on women’s rights in their song She Who Dares and about the racist history of Chicago’s 1979 Disco Demolition Night that shows up in their song, Disco Life. “Let's take what happened at Comiskey Park where people were really just finding an excuse to burn black records, black musicians' records. Got nothing to do with disco, nothing to with genre,” Piya Malik says.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Montreal based and Anishinaabe-led band, Ribbon Skirt talks about their album, Bite Down and new EP, PENSACOLA. Frontwoman Tashiina Buswa talks with Emily Fox about how indigeneity comes up in her music, especially the song “Off Rez” and shares stories about her life and family, including how her mother was saved from the mass adoption of indigenous children known as the “Sixties Scoop.” “You’re never really free, even if you're told you're free as an Indigenous person,” Buswa says. “It's why we are always saying land back. There’s been so much that has been stripped away and so much that won't ever be given back, but all we can do is just keep demanding and keep fighting for that freedom or that to have our rights to exist in this land is like that's the only thing that we can keep fighting for.”photo credit: Ani HarrochSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Portugal. The Man is out with a new album called SHISH. Emily Fox caught up with the band’s singer, songwriter and founder, John Gourley at Seattle’s Showbox SoDo to hear how his off-the-grid childhood in Alaska as well as his daughter’s genetic conduction influenced the album. “My mom and dad both became Iditarod mushers and finishers, and it took us off grid. We didn’t have power until I was 16, 17,” Gourley said. photo by Nathan PerkelSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle’s Brandi Carlile recently released her eighth studio album — it’s called “Returning to Myself.” Carlile stopped by KEXP recently to speak with DJ Kevin Cole about the themes of togetherness, confronting middle age, and watching her daughters slowly grow up and become more independent. She tells the story about how writing a poem in a barn started the album writing process, and how she managed to become very close friends with Joni Mitchell. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neko Case is out with a new album called Neon Grey Midnight Green. In conversation with Emily Fox, Case breaks down what spiderwebs can teach us about self-importance, what female and non-binary folks in the music industry have taught her about confidence and not caring about the male gaze and rock n’ roll’s mythology of “you’re lucky to be here.” “The mythology of you're lucky to be here of rock n’ roll… is very harmful and it's often leveraged to make people think that that theater wasn't built to play music in,” Case says. “Like really? That's weird because I don't know, there's a stage and you have a huge sound system in here. Gosh, I guess we could probably get together and make this happen.” photo by Ebru YildizSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seattle-based jazz musician Kassa Overall released CREAM in September 2025, an album that showcases new, original takes on some of the most classic tracks in 90s rap — from Wu Tang to Biggie and beyond. Overall spoke with KEXP’s Dusty Henry about his work. "As we're recording these songs, I'm realizing this is actually a response record to my other records," Overall says in the interview. "This is actually a commentary on the whole jazz hip-hop conversation. This is a commentary on my own career." Overall adds historical context: "Jazz musicians always would take songs that were popular in the public sphere and just use them as materials — not so much a cover, but just as a starting point for the listener. The idea that you remain faithful to the original — maybe some people think about that as a sign of respect to the music, but I don't see it like that. The respect comes from studying the original and then finding your own way to approach it." Photo Credit: Erik Barden Support the show: kexp.org/deeperSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jay Som is the moniker of Melina Duterte, a songwriter and producer originally based out of the Bay Area now living in Los Angeles. After producing music for other artists for so many years, she’s back with her fourth studio album, Belong, named for her quest to figure out her place in the indie music scene. While her tracks take you across various genre explorations from straight-up pop to downright experimental, she masterfully curates a cohesive experience.  KEXP’s Dusty Henry spoke with Duterte about the expansive sound of the record, including collaborations with emo idols Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World and Hayley Williams of Paramore.  “I’m always desperate for connection and understanding other people,” Duterte says in the interview. “When I get to have that experience, I feel closer to myself. That’s what this album helped me with.”  Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Photo Credit: Daniel TopeteSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2024, the Scottish-Danish artist Clarissa Connelly put out an album called World of Work. It doesn’t exactly deal with “work” the way that you might imagine in a 21st-century context. On the contrary, Connelly’s opus dives deep into philosophical concepts regarding our relationship with our mortal world, bodily movement, and what’s known as “religious ecstasy.”  KEXP contributor Isabel Khalili spoke with Connelly about the themes she taps into, which are as timeless as the sound of the music itself. The album centers around the use of bells, circularity, and death as a form of revelation.  “The feeling of being part of something bigger — what is that?” Connelly asks in the interview, nodding to the first existential questions of our human ancestors. “Connecting with the past gives me a feeling of getting really high. Bells have always been a way of connecting to that. They are our structure of society.” Her hope for the listener is that the album can create space, peace, and “even just a brief moment of clarity or wanting to let go and being brave.”  Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Izzy Glaudini, Halle Saxon, and Lola Dompé make up the Los Angeles post-punk trio Automatic. They released their third album Is It Now? last month on Stones Throw Records.  KEXP’s Martin Douglas spoke with all three members of the band about the new album, how touring influenced their new sound, and finding joy in a polarized political climate.  “The worse things become politically, it becomes even more important to have a vision of what you want the world to be like,” Glaudini says in the interview. “There’s not much room for self-pity and cynicism. That’s a luxury that we don’t have. So, when your back’s against the wall, you have to get your dukes up,” she laughs.  “It’s inspiring to feel active and believe in something — which sounds hokey but seems to be the truth. When push comes to shove, people don’t want to see injustice or fascism take over.”  Support the show: kexp.org/deeper  photo by Erica SnyderSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KEXP’s Fall Fundraising Drive is happening right now. Our goal this week is to raise $1.1 million to help make up for the loss of funds from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This podcast — as well as all our programming on the air, online, and in our communities — relies primarily on financial contributions from individuals. Our amplifiers give money to the station on a monthly basis, and we couldn’t do what we do without you. Between the loss of CPB funding and the questions raised by streaming platforms and artificial intelligence, we’re at a critical juncture to determine the future of the music industry. It’s in your hands. Please give now at kexp.org/deeper!Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The photographer Bootsy Holler is releasing a book next month called “Making It: an intimate documentary on the Seattle indie rock and punk scene, 1992 to 2008.” Those were the years when Bootsy was living in the city. She captures behind-the-scenes moments with artists who have defined Seattle’s reputation, from Nirvana to Fleet Foxes. In addition to revealing moments with lesser-known artists, Bootsy also shares pieces of own life as a photographer trying to “make it” in this creative business. “Part of what I love about Seattle is that everyone is making their own art,” Bootsy says in the interview. “There’s nobody telling you what to do. Once I realized that, I started to look at myself even differently — like, ‘yeah, you have lived on your own terms.’” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper photo by Bootsy Holler/Seth GordonSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Algernon Cadwallader is a midwest emo band originally from Pennsylvania. They took a hiatus back in 2012, and now they’re officially back with their first full-length album in more than a decade, Trying Not to Have a Thought. KEXP’s Meerah Powell spoke with some of the members about the band’s revival, their newfound connections to the Pacific Northwest, and how their lyrics leave little room for ambiguity. “I think we’re at a point where there needs to be a little more ‘get pissed’ in everything that people are making,” drummer Nick Tazza says in the interview. “Everyone feels it, and I think we need to stop shying away from it.” On this record, Algernon Cadwallader directly confronts complicated events in America’s political history, from the 1985 bombing of the Philadelphia organization MOVE to the more recent placement of boulders under freeway bridges in Portland to deter homeless people from camping there. “We used to spend so much time in between songs talking about [political issues],” vocalist Peter Helmis says. “Well, now, it just comes along with the music. Anytime someone plays it, they’re hearing the message.” Tazza adds: “We’ve all put a record together that stands for something and it means something. All the bands we loved growing up were super political, and that’s what we cut our teeth on, so to see it come full circle is kind of cool.” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Photo credit: Scott TroyanSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two composers walk into a room (actually, they walk into different rooms) and record an album focused on the serendipity of live performance. Fittingly, it’s titled Different Rooms. The composers in question are Jeremiah Chiu, who plays the synth, and Marta Sofia Honer, a violist. KEXP contributor Isabel Khalili spoke with them about how this latest album is an experimental dance between acoustic and electric, in some ways paying tribute to experimental composers from more than 50 years ago. “Something that we talk about a lot is leaving little to chance and letting it be a little chaotic because that’s the actual experience that we’re having as we’re navigating through this world,” Chiu says in the interview. “It’s not overly careful and considered — all things happen at the same time, and we’re walking through it. If things are overly perfect when we listen to music, everyone’s always like, ‘Where’s the human in this?’” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Photo Credit: Charlie WeinmannSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before this year, Ivy last released new music in 2011 with the album All Hours. Now, 14 years later, Ivy has reassembled to share Traces of You, which came out September 5 on Bar/None Records. What makes this album extra special is that it includes parts from one of the late members, Adam Schlessinger, who died from complications of COVID-19 in 2020. The other surviving members — Andy Chase, Dominique Durand, and Bruce Driscoll — wrote 10 brand-new songs that all incorporate parts from Schlesinger. KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour spoke with Ivy about their collaborative approach, how Chase and Durand’s marriage may or may not be affected by a love of Tetris and a self-described “flute fetish,” and ultimately how the band had fun putting this record together. “We couldn’t just leave [the demos] in a storage room,” Durand says in the interview. “We had to do something about it.” When it comes to writing around parts from their late bandmate, Chase adds, “You try every idea. That’s the wonderful thing about the digital era — there’s no limit. We pretty much exhaust all our creativity on every song, and then it’s a matter of subtraction.” This is why the band adopted a “less is more” approach. “There were songs where we would try to add a bunch of stuff and then realize we’d gone too far,” Driscoll says. “We’d realize that the first thing we’d done was the best thing.” Related: Janice Headley talked with the band in 2023 about one of their iconic reissued albums, Apartment Life, which originally came out in 1997. Support the show: kexp.org/deeper photo by Michelle ShiersSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesse Beaman, an ambient composer based in Mexico City, joins a growing number of artists who are no longer making their music available on Spotify. He cites the platform’s requirement for musicians to have 1,000 yearly streams to receive royalties, as well as CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in Helsing, a company that makes AI-powered defense weaponry. While his platform may not be as big as other Spotify protestors like Deerhoof, Beaman’s career is marked with tours across four continents, video production, and collaborations with members of Interpol and M83. These connections have proven vital for his success. KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour talks with Beaman about his complicated Latinx identity, his prolific network, and his stance against Spotify. “Spotify is killing people’s attention span,” Beaman says in the interview. “Before you can even get connected to a certain artist, they’re trying to sell you on another artist.” When it comes to distributing his music, Beaman is turning to Bandcamp and physical media like vinyl. No matter how you listen, he hopes fans will practice intentional listening: “If you can give music the focus it deserves, I’ll be happy.” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper photo by Kate MeyerSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Toledo, vocalist for Seattle-based Car Seat Headrest, wanted the band’s latest release to be a concept album in the tradition of a rock opera. The Scholars delivers just that: strong storytelling within each of its nine tracks, inventing characters in a “fictional America,” attesting to the human search for meaning inside and outside of ourselves. Toledo stopped by KEXP earlier this year to speak with Midday Host Cheryl Waters. He opens up about going back on tour after suffering from the effects of long COVID and the album's collaborative songwriting process. “There’s only so much you can say about yourself before it stops getting interesting,” Toledo says in the interview. “Having this concept of characters helped a lot. It’s me giving a sincere portrait of someone I can relate to rather than it being me.” Car Seat Headrest is one of the headlining bands at Bumbershoot 2025, taking place August 30 and 31 at Seattle Center. Photo credit: Carlos Cruz Support the show: kexp.org/deeperSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seiji Oda pays respect to his Oakland roots in his 2025 album HUMAN + NATURE. He not only samples Bay Area titans like Mac Dre and Trunk Boiz — the record also features numerous collaborations with local artists making waves in the scene today, like the producer ClayDough.    KEXP’s Dusty Henry spoke with Oda about his signature “lofi hyphy” sound, blending raw nature sounds with party-ready beats.    “Starting with the natural environment first, I’m like, ‘Okay, what fits there?’” Oda says of his creative process in the interview. “What chords do I hear in this environment? What drums do I hear in this environment? Whose vocal sound could sound good in this environment? It doesn’t have to be perfect. As long as it feels right and people are moving, that’s what matters.”    Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Open Mike Eagle’s tenth studio album, Neighborhood Gods Unlimited, continues the rap legacy that he started in the late 2000s when he cofounded the trio Thirsty Fish. From there, he made a bigger name for himself as a solo artist, starting with his 2010 debut, Unapologetic Art Rap. Along the way, he even appeared in the cartoon Adventure Time as a rapping gingerbread cookie. On top of his music career, Open Mike Eagle has also started multiple multimedia endeavors, like the artist collective Hellfyre Club and an alt-comedy TV series called The New Negroes (both of which have since ended). These days, he’s running his own podcast network, Stony Island Audio. KEXP’s Martin Douglas spoke with Open Mike Eagle about the years leading up to his newest album, which included a divorce and various collaborations with other rappers. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited draws heavily on Black surrealism, similar to movies like Sorry to Bother You and Get Out.“ I felt challenged and inspired by these pieces of media,” Open Mike Eagle says in the interview. “I want to tell an absurd story in a rap album. I want people to feel the depths where it might be trying to go emotionally and the questions it might be trying to ask — but I don't want to say all the answers.” He continues, “At every step of that process, I have to deal with self-doubt. I want to make art that is able to contend with that.” Photo credit: Robert Adam Mayer Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.