One constant in the Bay Area music scene for the past few years has been flux. Artists coming and going and prevalent styles always evolving. But if 2017 showed us anything, it's that the Bay is a fruitful haven for independent music and artists. Listen in as the Noise Pop Podcast counts down the Top 6 Local Albums of the year plus one EP. Check out noisepop.com/podcast for a full track list and additional info.

Best Bay Area Albums of 2017

The Noise Pop Podcast is a monthly series showcasing new music discoveries and a diverse slate of guest artists from the independent music scene and beyond. Produced by Noise Pop, San Francisco’s go-to indie music, arts and film festival for over 25 years and hosted by music journalist Adrian Spinelli (Paste Magazine, SF Chronicle, etc..), we deliver engaging episodes that are always rooted in the music that we love and that we know you will too. Past guests have included: Khruangbin, Thao Nguyen, Quantic, Wye Oak, Helado Negro, Speedy Ortiz, Rexx Life Raj, Shigeto, Låpsley, Thievery Corporation and more.

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On the first edition of Reflections, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack join the Noise Pop Podcast to take us through some of the songs and stories that have marked their six albums and nearly 15 year career as a band.   Reflections Playlist:   1. "For Prayer" (From The Knot, 2009) 2. "Civilian" (From Civilian, 2011) 3. "Logic of Color" (From Shriek, 2014) 4. "It Was Not Natural" (From The Louder I Call The Faster It Runs, 2018) 5. "Walk Soft" (2020) 6. "AEIOU" feat. Brooklyn Youth Chorus - (From No Horizon, 2020)   Full playlist and more at noisepop.com/podcast. 

Reflections with Wye Oak

 On Songs For Freedom, we highlight some of the powerful music that has been released or revived as a direct response to ongoing systemic racism against Black people and the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and too many others at the hands of police. Diversity is at the core of the music that we share and cover on the Noise Pop Podcast and on this episode, we’re using this platform to focus on and continue to amplify black voices and art during this crucial time. No justice, no peace. BLACK LIVES MATTER.   Visit noisepop.com/podcast for a full track list from this episode and more.   Episode playlist: 1 - Anderson .Paak - “Lockdown” feat Jay Rock 2 - SAULT - “Monsters" 3- Terrace Martin & Denzel Curry - “Pig Feet” feat Kamasi Washington, Daylyt and G Perico 4- Jamila Woods - BASQUIAT feat. Saba 5- Jorge Ben Jor - “Cassius Marcelo Clay” 6 - Rexx Life Raj - “War” 7 - Noname - “Song 33” 8 - Jyoti - “Cowrie Waltz” 

Songs For Freedom

Episode Description    We’re chugging along while sheltered in place as best as we can and our Quarantine Mix #2 features the music that's been getting us through the days. Seattle producer Sango joins us to talk about the roots of Brazilian baile funk music and his new collaborative EP with Juls, 'Fufu & Grits' on Soulection Records. We'll hear tracks from British singers Cleo Sol and Arlo Parks, the latest from psych folk rockers Woods, take a trip around the world with Monster Rally, soak into summer vibes by Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes w/ Freddie Gibbs, plus Spooky Mansion joined by Blushh and a new jam off the new from Quelle Chris and Chris Keys album, featuring Tune-Yards' Merrill Garbus. Visit noisepop.com/podcast for a full track list from this episode and more.   Songs Featured In Episode    Monster Rally -  “Escape to the Cloud Forest (Along The River)    Woods - “Where Do You Go When You Dream”   Cleo Sol - “Why Don’t You”   Sango & Juls - "Angele Ni Fie"   Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes, “Nightrider” feat Freddie Gibbs   Quelle Chris and Chris Keys feat Merrill Garbus, “Sacred Safe”   Arlo Parks - “Black Dog”   Spooky Mansion feat. Blushh “Eyes”   Monster Rally -  “Escape to the Cloud Forest" (Mountain Village)    Other Songs Heard in Episode:   Woods - "Strange To Explain" Cleo Sol - "When I'm In Your Arms" Sango - "Me De Amor" Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes - "The Real" Quelle Chris and Jean Grae - "Peacock" Arlo Parks - "Sophie" Spooky Mansion - "Real Jerk"   Links Mentioned In Episode:   New York Times piece on Woods Noise Pop's No Place Like Home Streaming Series

Quarantine Mix #2 feat. Sango

These are strange days we’re living right now... The world around us is at a standstill, and understandably, festivals and concert tours are on pause everywhere. But if there’s one thing we’ve always prided ourselves on here at Noise Pop, it’s bringing you the best new music, and we very much still have the ability to project the sounds that we love loud and far. With that, we’ve got a dozen new tracks for you on this episode, which is actually a rebroadcast of Adrian's Everything Ecstatic Radio DJ set on SF-based community radio station, BFF.fm. For a full track list, visit this episode's page on noisepop.com/podcast.   Episode Track List Steve Blum - “Geography A2” (Intro) Masego - “King’s Rant” Little Dragon - “Are You Feeling Sad?” feat Kali Uchis Hamilton Leithauser - “Here They Come” Zelma Stone - “Fly” Yves Tumor - “Strawberry Privilege” Khruangbin and Leon Bridges - “Midnight” Jamie Wyatt - “Neon Cross” Buscabulla - “Vámono” Boy Scouts - “Wish” Thundercat - “Interstellar Love” Sessa - “Tanto”  Baio - "Endless Rhythm" (Noise Pop Podcast Theme Song)   Links Mentioned in Episode Noise Pop Culture Club Donate to Support Rickshaw Stop Noise Pop Industries Employees Relief Fund Donate to BFF.fm EverythingEcstatic.net - Adrian's site Hamilton Leithauser's YouTube channel

Shelter In Place Mix #1

Helado Negro's Roberto Carlos Lange joins the Noise Pop Podcast to share some of the music that has inspired him along the creative process of our favorite album of 2019, 'This Is How You Smile.' His 6th full-length LP is a bilingual journey into Lange's ever-evolving thoughts on the Latinx experience in America. His most approachable work to date, 'This Is How You Smile' is a tropicalia-tinged experimental pop album that shows that no matter the shade of our skin, we all ride the same emotional waves through this world.    Helado Negro My Mix Track List    Luiza Brina e o Liquidificador - "Costi"  Luiz Bonfá - "Enchanted Mirror" Beverly Glenn-Copeland - "Sunset Village" Frank Harris & Maria Marquez - "Loveroom" Helado Negro - "Sabana de Luz" (Live at KCRW)    Other Songs Heard In Episode    Baio - "Endless Rhythm" (Noise Pop Podcast Theme Song) Helado Negro - "November 7" Helado Negro - "Running" Helado Negro - "Come Be Me" Helado Negro - "Las Preguntas"    Links Mentioned In Episode   ALBUM: Music From Memory - Outro Tempo II: Electronic And Contemporary Music From Brazil 1984-1996 DOCUMENTARY: Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story (Trailer) PODCAST: The S-Town Podcast (featuring score by Helado Negro)

Best Bay Area Albums of 2017

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