Kexp Live Performances Podcast

On the show this time, it’s the Indonesian funk of Ali. Ali formed in 2021, playing 70s soul, disco, and afrobeat with elements of Arabic and middle eastern music. They released their first single “Dance, Habibi” that same year. They followed up with their debut album Malaka in 2023 on Anukara records. Embracing the connection between Indonesian and Arabic culture, they explored the overlapping music, fashion, and textiles, which led to the name of their latest self-released EP, Patterns. Recorded March 19, 2025 Pulse Al Janoub Orient Blue Lotus Downtown Strut Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it’s the Indonesian funk of Ali. Ali formed in 2021, playing 70s soul, disco, and afrobeat with elements of Arabic and middle eastern music. They released their first single “Dance, Habibi” that same year. They followed up with their debut album Malaka in 2023 on Anukara records. Embracing the connection between Indonesian and Arabic culture, they explored the overlapping music, fashion, and textiles, which led to the name of their latest self-released EP, Patterns. Recorded March 19, 2025 Pulse Al Janoub Orient Blue Lotus Downtown Strut Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. They formed in 2017, self-releasing their debut album S krysh nashikh domov, which translates to “From the Roofs of Our Houses." It was later picked up and re-released by the German label Detriti Records, along with their second album in 2018, Etazhi (or "Floors”). The two records gained popularity mainly through an unauthorized upload on YouTube and the band started selling out shows all across Europe. In 2020 they signed with Sacred Bones, and prepared to tour the US. Their song “Sudno” went viral on TikTok, alongside the “closet tour challenge” in which content creators edited together photos of themselves in all the outfits in their closets while the song played. They released their third album, Monument, but their tour was canceled due to the pandemic. Their latest is Belaya Polosa, or "White St

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. They formed in 2017, self-releasing their debut album S krysh nashikh domov, which translates to “From the Roofs of Our Houses." It was later picked up and re-released by the German label Detriti Records, along with their second album in 2018, Etazhi (or "Floors”). The two records gained popularity mainly through an unauthorized upload on YouTube and the band started selling out shows all across Europe. In 2020 they signed with Sacred Bones, and prepared to tour the US. Their song “Sudno” went viral on TikTok, alongside the “closet tour challenge” in which content creators edited together photos of themselves in all the outfits in their closets while the song played. They released their third album, Monument, but their tour was canceled due to the pandemic. Their latest is Belaya Polosa, or "White St

On the show this time, it’s the danceable darkwave of Danish musician - Trentemøller. Anders Trentemøller is a Danish musician based in Copenhagen. His debut album, The Last Resort, was released in 2006, and he has continued putting out new music roughly every three years since. His sound is eclectic, spanning genres like trip-hop, goth, shoegaze, indie rock, and pop. He has remixed hundreds of tracks for artists including The Knife, Röyksopp, Robyn, M83, The Raveonettes, Depeche Mode, and Franz Ferdinand. A musician’s musician and a seasoned producer, he remains, at heart, a music-loving kid. His latest album, Dreamweaver—featuring Icelandic singer Disa—is out now on In My Room Records. Recorded February 11, 2025 I Give My Tears Dreamweavers Nightfall Still On Fire Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it’s the danceable darkwave of Danish musician - Trentemøller. Anders Trentemøller is a Danish musician based in Copenhagen. His debut album, The Last Resort, was released in 2006, and he has continued putting out new music roughly every three years since. His sound is eclectic, spanning genres like trip-hop, goth, shoegaze, indie rock, and pop. He has remixed hundreds of tracks for artists including The Knife, Röyksopp, Robyn, M83, The Raveonettes, Depeche Mode, and Franz Ferdinand. A musician’s musician and a seasoned producer, he remains, at heart, a music-loving kid. His latest album, Dreamweaver—featuring Icelandic singer Disa—is out now on In My Room Records. Recorded February 11, 2025 I Give My Tears Dreamweavers Nightfall Still On Fire Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it’s the angular psych-punk of Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Frankie & The Witch Fingers are a relentlessly touring, high-bar musicianship, DIY punk band. They originally formed in Bloomington, Indiana, but are now fully ensconced in the burgeoning psych-rock scene in Los Angeles. Their latest album, Trash Classic, is available on Greenway Records. Their own description for it is pretty great, saying the record “plunges into a sewer-slick fusion of proto-punk venom, fractured new wave, and industrial grime. Brimming with wiry synths, angular melodies, and grooves that squirm and bite, it’s all delivered with a sly, playful wink. Recorded July 23, 2024 Brain Telephone Futurephobic Syster System Cops & Robbers Sidewalk Weird Dog Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it’s the angular psych-punk of Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Frankie & The Witch Fingers are a relentlessly touring, high-bar musicianship, DIY punk band. They originally formed in Bloomington, Indiana, but are now fully ensconced in the burgeoning psych-rock scene in Los Angeles. Their latest album, Trash Classic, is available on Greenway Records. Their own description for it is pretty great, saying the record “plunges into a sewer-slick fusion of proto-punk venom, fractured new wave, and industrial grime. Brimming with wiry synths, angular melodies, and grooves that squirm and bite, it’s all delivered with a sly, playful wink. Recorded July 23, 2024 Brain Telephone Futurephobic Syster System Cops & Robbers Sidewalk Weird Dog Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, Thailand meets West Africa through the electrifying drumming of Salin. Salin was born and raised in Thailand. She started out learning music on the piano, but switched to drums partly because the drum teacher was fun, and partly because she was listening to metal. She got good! Good enough to get work as a session drummer for Sony Thailand. She moved to the United States for college. While there she joined a band in Montreal – driving 10 hours along the Great Lakes to go to practice. She learned about new music from her bandmate and fell in love with soul and funk. Her latest album, Rammana, merges those influences with jazz, indigenous Thai, and African sounds for a sound she calls “Afro Thai Funk”. Rammana is available now on Bandcamp. Recorded February 10, 2025 Puaj Current Painted Lady Si Chomphu Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, Thailand meets West Africa through the electrifying drumming of Salin. Salin was born and raised in Thailand. She started out learning music on the piano, but switched to drums partly because the drum teacher was fun, and partly because she was listening to metal. She got good! Good enough to get work as a session drummer for Sony Thailand. She moved to the United States for college. While there she joined a band in Montreal – driving 10 hours along the Great Lakes to go to practice. She learned about new music from her bandmate and fell in love with soul and funk. Her latest album, Rammana, merges those influences with jazz, indigenous Thai, and African sounds for a sound she calls “Afro Thai Funk”. Rammana is available now on Bandcamp. Recorded February 10, 2025 Puaj Current Painted Lady Si Chomphu Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the dynamic experimental music of Japanese band MONO. MONO has been making music together since 1999. Their sound is guitar-driven, and anchored by a propulsive, hypnotic rhythm section. The music has the harmonic richness of film scores, and they have played with orchestras over the years. Other influences include minimalism, Sonic Youth style noise, My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze, and the true-to-the-sound-in-the-room aesthetic of engineer Steve Albini. They consistently remind us that music can convey meaning, without words, so all these labels and comparisons are reductive. When they play, and you listen, you will understand. Any true MONO fan will tell you - you have to see them live. Their latest is OATH, out now through Temporary Residence Records. Recorded December 16, 2024 Run On Hear The Wind Sing We All Shine On Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the dynamic experimental music of Japanese band MONO. MONO has been making music together since 1999. Their sound is guitar-driven, and anchored by a propulsive, hypnotic rhythm section. The music has the harmonic richness of film scores, and they have played with orchestras over the years. Other influences include minimalism, Sonic Youth style noise, My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze, and the true-to-the-sound-in-the-room aesthetic of engineer Steve Albini. They consistently remind us that music can convey meaning, without words, so all these labels and comparisons are reductive. When they play, and you listen, you will understand. Any true MONO fan will tell you - you have to see them live. Their latest is OATH, out now through Temporary Residence Records. Recorded December 16, 2025  Run On Hear The Wind Sing We All Shine On Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the Canadian hardcore dance-punk of Death From Above 1979. Death From Above 1979 make a magnificent amount of noise for two people. They released their first full-length album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine in 2004. They then broke up in 2006, citing creative differences. It wasn’t until 2011 that the band officially reunited and played shows together again. Since then they’ve put out three albums, and settled into a new era of working together, knowing what they both need to make the band work. Their latest is Is 4 Lovers available through Universal Music Canada. Recorded January 20, 2025 Modern Guy One + One Free Animal Going Steady Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the Canadian hardcore dance-punk of Death From Above 1979. Death From Above 1979 make a magnificent amount of noise for two people. They released their first full-length album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine in 2004. They then broke up in 2006, citing creative differences. It wasn’t until 2011 that the band officially reunited and played shows together again. Since then they’ve put out three albums, and settled into a new era of working together, knowing what they both need to make the band work. Their latest is Is 4 Lovers available through Universal Music Canada. Recorded January 20, 2025 Modern Guy One + One Free Animal Going Steady Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the fairy goth-psych of Swedish band Den Der Hale. Den Der Hale is a Swedish post-psych band, based in Malmö, which is right across the water from Copenhagen in Denmark. There’s an amazing bridge and a tunnel between the cities known as the Øresund Link. Depending if you are translating from Danish or Swedish, the band name means “That Tail” or “The Slippery One.” They play unhurried heavy rock with nods to black metal, folk, krautrock, and whatever Frank Zappa is. For this performance the band played songs from 2024’s Pastoral Light, available now on Fat Cat records. Recorded December 5, 2024 The Horse From Turin By Pastoral Light To Begin The Frail Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the fairy goth-psych of Swedish band Den Der Hale. Den Der Hale is a Swedish post-psych band, based in Malmö, which is right across the water from Copenhagen in Denmark. There’s an amazing bridge and a tunnel between the cities known as the Øresund Link. Depending if you are translating from Danish or Swedish, the band name means “That Tail” or “The Slippery One.” They play unhurried heavy rock with nods to black metal, folk, krautrock, and whatever Frank Zappa is. For this performance the band played songs from 2024’s Pastoral Light, available now on Fat Cat records. Recorded December 5, 2024 The Horse From Turin By Pastoral Light To Begin The Frail Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time is the Jordanian Habibi-Disco of crooner Ziyad Al-Samman. Ziyad Al-Samman is a Jordanian singer, based in London. He makes danceable pop music that combines myriad influences including disco, psych-rock, 50s rock n roll, and the sounds of the Middle East. He’s not afraid to get romantic with it, inviting us all to dance and flirt, maybe even get a little naughty. For this performance he and his band played songs from his latest EP, Pleasure Complex, available from French label Yotanka. Recorded December 3, 2024 Bang Ya Habibi What You Gonna Do? I Can't Behave My Sweet This Love Space Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time is the Jordanian Habibi-Disco of crooner Ziyad Al-Samman. Ziyad Al-Samman is a Jordanian singer, based in London. He makes danceable pop music that combines myriad influences including disco, psych-rock, 50s rock n roll, and the sounds of the Middle East. He’s not afraid to get romantic with it, inviting us all to dance and flirt, maybe even get a little naughty. For this performance he and his band played songs from his latest EP, Pleasure Complex, available from French label Yotanka. Recorded December 3, 2024 Bang Ya Habibi What You Gonna Do? I Can't Behave My Sweet This Love Space Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the futuristic rock drama of Guadalajara band Descartes a Kant. When Guadalajara-based group Descartes A Kant created their most recent album, 2023’s After Destruction, they actually made something much bigger. They built an entire concept and universe in which humans struggle to remain human in the face of relentless simulated reality. Their music is post-punk meets indie rock with incredibly intricate electronics. And you’ll want to make sure you check out the video for this one at some point, too. Recorded October 18, 2024 Hello User / Graceless Press Any Key / Woman Sobbing Self-F / The Mess We've Made A Catastrophe 47 Dogs / After Destruction Enlightenment Bubbles / Restart and Heal Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the futuristic rock drama of Guadalajara band Descartes a Kant. When Guadalajara-based group Descartes A Kant created their most recent album, 2023’s After Destruction, they actually made something much bigger. They built an entire concept and universe in which humans struggle to remain human in the face of relentless simulated reality. Their music is post-punk meets indie rock with incredibly intricate electronics. And you’ll want to make sure you check out the video for this one at some point, too. Recorded October 18, 2024 Hello User / Graceless Press Any Key / Woman Sobbing Self-F / The Mess We've Made A Catastrophe 47 Dogs / After Destruction Enlightenment Bubbles / Restart and Heal Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.