A Deeper Listen

Emily Fox and KEXP DJs Evie Stokes, Troy Nelson and Kevin Cole break down the top played albums of 2023 on KEXP and share their personal favorite records of the year.

KEXP’s top played albums:

1. Jungle - Volcano
2. Arlo Parks - My Soft Machine
3. Polyrhythmics - Filter System
4. Little Dragon - Slugs of Love
5. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)

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It was a big year for Latin music and Mexican music in particular. KEXP’s Albina Cabrera is joined by Julyssa Lopez, Senior Music Editor at Rolling Stone and author of “The Grammys Still Don’t Know What to Do With Latin Music,” and Isabela Raygoza, Associate Editor at Billboard Español and co-author of "Mexican Music Isn't Having a Moment, It's a Movement” for this episode. They break down the rise of Mexican music, discuss the Latin Grammys, and share some of their favorite tracks from Latin America in 2023.

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KEXP’s Martin Douglas reflects on travel, mortality, and life through his favorite rap album of the year, 'Maps' by billy woods.

Listen to billy woods talk about fatherhood and making a children’s book: https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/sound-vision/2023/6/18/apparently-billy-woods-on-his-a-is-for-anarchist-childrens-book/

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The Portland-based experimental band Grails is back with their latest album, 'Anches en Maat.' It's the first record that the group wrote together in the studio since 2008, featuring some of their most avant garde Western psych-rock instrumentals to date. KEXP's Roddy Nikpour has this review.

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Malummí is the project of singer songwriter Larissa Rapold and guitarist and producer GiovanniVicari based out of Basel Switzerland. They just released an album called The Universe Is Black. Rapold reflects on racial issues and her personal experiences and thoughts behind the album’s title track.

“The feeling I have when I sing it is raising my fist above my head and walking through a crowd of people and having this power that I’m having in this moment in my words in this song,” Rapold says.

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Black rockers in Seattle speak with contributor Mia Imani about navigating a music scene that has historically excluded them and about reclaiming a genre that many notable Black musicians helped create.

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Magic AL is the alias of Alex Bingham– a producer and bass player who has played with a lot of indie/folk bands from North Carolina including Hiss Golden Messenger. He’s out with his first solo album called 'Good Grief.'

Bingham talks with Emily Fox about how the death of four loved ones in the same year led him to make an album and how music brought joy back into his life.

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Since iconic rap duo Outkast went on hiatus in 2006, fans have been clamoring for a solo album from Andre 3000. Now, 17 years later, he’s finally delivered with a new record called New Blue Sun… only, instead of rapping he’s playing the flute.

KEXP’s Dusty Henry shares his reflections on why the album is one of his favorites of 2023 and how Andre 3000’s direction into ambient/New Age music might be the calming salve we need for our current times.

What’s your favorite album of the year? KEXP is asking listeners to vote for their favorite records in our Best of 2023 countdown. Vote now at KEXP.organd tune in December 15th to hear what albums made the list.

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Many venues in Seattle and beyond aren’t equipped to get wheelchair users inside or on stage, pointing to a broader issue of accessibility in live music. Emily Fox speaks with venues, performers, and concertgoers about this issue, including:

• Seattle musician Mindie Lind who wrote the article, “I Stopped Performing Music Because Venues Are Ableist.”
• Eric Howk, guitarist in the Grammy award-winning band, Portugal. The Man.
• Seattle concertgoer Jess Piraino who runs the Instagram account Shoes At Shows In Seattle.

We also hear from Seattle artist King Khazm about his song, disAbility.

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Sudan Tapes Archive is a DIY project started by Haneen Sidhamed where she digitizes and makes Sudanese music cassette tapes available to stream online. This project is important amid ongoing war in Sudan, the closure of recording and publishing companies, and the physical burning and destruction of cassette tapes. KEXP’s Julianna Covarrubias speaks with Sidhamed about the project.

https://www.sudantapesarchive.com/

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