Daneille Ponder is a name you need to get acquainted with. By day, Ponder tackles legal issues as a public defender, but once the work day is done, another side emerges as she turns to writing and recording her own music. We are loving “Be...

Danielle Ponder: ‘Be Gentle’

A free weekday download of standout songs, including advance releases, exclusive live tracks recorded at KCRW, remixes, and an introduction to new artists on our radar.

Music

The Past Is Still Alive, is the next phase in Hurray for the Riff Raff ’s progression as a raconteur. 
 Born in the Bronx and of Puerto Rican descent, Alynda Segarra molds their lyrics into snapshots that hold memories, process their trauma, and makes sense of loss. The country-tinged “Alibi” comes in the form of a plea, one last effort to get through to someone you know you’re going to lose.

Hurray For the Riff Raff: ‘Alibi’

Always centered at night is the next pillar anchoring Moby ’s extensive body of work. A constant collaborator, Moby’s next page includes some of his favorite vocalists, including the late Benjamin Zephaniah, serpentwithfeet, Gaidaa, and on “dark days,” the soul-infused, jazz-inflected vocals of Lady Blackbird.

Moby: ‘dark days’ (Feat. Lady Blackbird)

Dublin-based multi-instrumentalist Conor J O’Brien, best known for heading up Villagers , recently announced their sixth studio album, That Golden Time, dropping May 10. It’s an apt title for a warm and romantic recording that extends to his work style. After sketching out and composing the work, Conor invites his band of hand-picked musicians to sprinkle their magic dust. “You Lucky One” delves into the masks we wear.

Villagers: ‘You Lucky One’

Today we celebrate the release of LA-based R&B singer (and KCRW’s Breakthrough Artist of 2023 ) Baby Rose’s new project Slow Burn, produced by the stellar outfit BADBADNOTGOOD. With a wide sonic realm rooted in psych-rock and alternative styles, we turn to a stand-out, “One Last Dance,” a vulnerable country ballad harkening back to the ‘70s.

Baby Rose: ‘One Last Dance’

With her first album in ten years, Vida, Chilean rapper and singer Ana Tijoux unleashes her indestructible spirit and social conviction on the project. A wise friend once told her something that has resonated — that the best revenge against death is life itself. 
 “Vida is also a call to every single creator out there,” Tijoux says. “Singers, writers, sculptors, and performers, dancers, and painters – all of us. Our strength lies in sticking together. The only way to continue marching forward, preserve our sensitivity, and look fear in the eye is to rely on our collective identity.” 
 A collection of 15 tracks, Vida is bejeweled by guest contributions from artists ile, Talib Kweli, and De La Soul’s Plug 1. We gravitate towards the wry distortion of “Niñx.”

Danielle Ponder: ‘Be Gentle’

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