Today's Top Tune

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.

On Friday, Aug. 8), KCRW DJ Tyler Boudreaux is throwing a summer boogie down for the ages. Venture out to Goldiggers for psych-rockers The Noir Dalis and Joshua Tree’s Desert Friends (the latter of whom are making their LA debut!). Whet your appetite ahead of the show with Desert Friends’ bluesy track “Sonora.”

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.

San Diego celebs Slightly Stoopid supercharge the summer vibes on their new single “Step Into The Sun.” This feel-good anthem celebrates life, love, and understanding. Plus, it’s the band’s first new music since 2018’s Everyday Life, Everyday People(!). While we have to wait until 2026 for their tenth studio album to arrive, we can tide ourselves over by catching them live at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Aug. 17.

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).”

Sly & The Family Stone’s earliest days as a live band are finally on the record via today’s release of The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967. The recording comes from their run as the house band at Redwood City, CA’s Winchester Cathedral from December 16, 1966, to April 28, 1967. Near the end of this stretch—in the wee hours of March 26, 1967 to be exact—Stone’s first manager Rich Romanello pressed record. Not long after this recording, the band signed to Epic Records and released their breakout track “Dance To The Music.” So the 7-inch analog tapes went into storage where they sat for thirty-five years. The reels were rediscovered in 2002 by Dutch twins Edwin and Arno Konings, renowned Sly & The Family Stone archivists, and carefully restored by their co-producer Palao for this set. And now we’re here, the record is out in full, and you can download the socially and sonically innovative “I Gotta Go Now (Up On The Floor) / Funky Broadway” for FREE to get the party started.

New Zealanders The Beths have a bouncy, ‘90s-esque-jangle-rock sound that keeps us feeling forever young. “Metal” is a solid example of how the four-piece always keeps it upbeat and inviting… even on songs born from rigorous touring and mental health issues. Revel in the joyful relatability of The Beths when they rock The Wiltern on Friday, Nov. 7 alongside Bret McKenzie and Phoebe Rings.

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.”

Today we celebrate the long-awaited vinyl reissue of Funkadelic’s 1970 debut. Loud, seductive, and gritty, this album was released as the American optimism of the 1960s waned into unrest and adversity. Funkadelic caught fire with the listening public for their blending of psychedelic rock, blues, gospel, and R&B into a new form of Black expression; a counterpoint to the sound of Motown. Today’s Top Tune, “I Bet You,” delivers a hypnotic groove that’s both subversive and rapturous.

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).