Hey! Did you know that there’s an entire aspect of KCRW music discovery that you might be missing out on? Fear not, because our 5 Songs to Hear This Week newsletter is now a weekly feature on our website. Watch this space for rundowns of the five songs that you need in your life immediately, curated by KCRW Music staff. Don’t want to wait for your latest taste of fresh tunes? Sign up for the Friday newsletter here, and always be the first to know.
Kamasi Washington – “Prologue”
Opening with a fast-n-furious but tightly-controlled melodic treatment, and concluding after over eight minutes in a magnificent tangle, this track is a journey we urge you to take. Jazz visionary and LA hero Kamasi Washington’s forthcoming album Fearless Movement features guest artists like André 3000, Thundercat, and George Clinton, and lands in May.
Baby Rose – “One Last Dance”
Fresh out from KCRW’s Breakthrough Artist of 2023 is this slow-burning ballad, a veritable sonic manifestation of a full-body-press slow dance decorated with tears. Baby Rose’s voice has an uncannily nostalgic quality, one that you have to hear to believe. Or, as we like to put it: “a rich, guttural baritone that plumbs depths akin to Nina Simone and Ahnoni.” Click to hear it for yourself, lovingly produced by jazz innovators BADBADNOTGOOD and released just this week by Secretly Canadian. The collab EP, Slow Burn, is out next month.
Zsela – “Fire Excape”
Stunningly one-of-a-kind artist Zsela is back with a new single that’s more like theater than just music alone: immersive, commanding, and unapologetically itself. The NYC-born artist has relocated to LA, and we welcome her ingenuity and rich musical imagination… which you’ll hear in full wall-of-sound force on this impassioned track. You’ll need a few repeat listens to properly lay ears on every distinct element of this unique track, so pay close attention and hit play.
King Isis – “Monki”
We say this every time, but damn it’s refreshing to hear an all-analog band. Let your ‘90s lust out with this excellent alt-rock flavored track from Oakland artist King Isis, an enigmatic singer-songwriter who's been playing a bit of a shell game with musical genre since they debuted last year — suggesting an innate musical ability we’ll be keeping a beady eye on. As evidence, this song will satisfy your need for new grunge like the first drag on an after-work cigarette. Hell yeah.
Boy/Girl – “Bloody Rainbow”
Speaking of instruments, let’s end this week on the kind of band-practice-in-the-garage outfit with whom anyone would be happy to share a cul-de-sac. Boy/Girl is a trio out of Ventura County with a surf-rock sound and vintage style that’ll have you ditching class to watch John Waters movies and do each others’ makeup. With swingin’ guitar riffs, perfectly imperfect vocals, and shoulder-shimmying bass, this track’s a winner.