Host Evie Stokes sits down with KEXP DJ and host of the El Sonido: Cancioneros podcast, Albina Cabrera, to talk about the music that’s moving her. Albina also shares more about KEXP’s upcoming Aqui y Ahora programming, a month dedicated to amplifying the contributions, resilience, and music of Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino-identified communities worldwide.

Albina’s first selection this week comes from the New York- and Berlin-based Guatemalan artist aLex vs aLex. Evie and Albina gush over the project’s lush sound and aLex vs aLex’s role in the current R&B revival.

KEXP celebrates Aqui y Ahora from Sept. 15–Oct. 15. Find out more information at kexp.org/aquiyahora. You can also subscribe to El Sonido: Cancioneros wherever you podcast, or watch the videos with English subtitles on our KEXP Podcasts YouTube channel.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.
Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones

Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Seattle duo Lucha Luna to talk about the music that’s moving them. This time, the group shares their mutual love for Tamara Flores’ empowering anthem, “CHINGONA,” and what it means to be a “badass woman.”

“To have, like, a chingona energy comes from your ancestors, comes from the people behind you,” Lucha Luna singer Eva Vazquez says. “People that are holding you through it… It reminds me of my mom and my auntie, and the women that I came from that are chingonas. I’d love to feel that sometimes I have that chingona energy, too.”

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Seattle duo Lucha Luna to talk about the music that’s moving them. First up, the duo talks about their love for Helado Tropical, the collaborative project from Helado Negro’s Roberto Carlos Lange and Reyna Tropical’s Fabi Reyna. The duo talk about opening recently for Helado Tropical and why they love their song “Déjate Caer.”

“It just found me at the right time,” Lucha Luna singer Eva Vazquez says. “And it moved me to tears, and I think when music does that, it really reminds me, ‘Wow, music is healing.’”

“Déjate Caer” comes from Helado Tropical’s self-titled debut, out now via Psychic Hotline.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Photo credit: Evan Benally

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Arlo Parks to talk about the music that’s moving her. This time she’s embracing her underground dance influences with a song from London-based artist Oscar Farrell and how dance influence influenced her own recent album, Ambiguous Desire.

“There’s something so beautiful about these textures,” Parks says of Farrell’s song “Don’t Play With Me.” “I feel like I’m a sucker for these UK garage influences that are made a little bit wonky and weird.”

“Don’t Play With Me” comes from Farrell’s 2026 album, Birds Fly In, out now via dh2.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones 
Contact us at [email protected].

Photo by Pablo Gallegos

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Arlo Parks to talk about the music that’s moving her. First up, she talks about her admiration for Chanel Beads’ Shane Lavers and how she first fell in love with his music after seeing him live. She shares how much she particularly adores his song, “The Coward Forgets His Nightmare.”

“There’s something magical about the way he combines organic and synthetic instruments,” Parks says of the song. “It feels really rich and alive and unique.”

The song comes from Chanel Beads’ latest album, Your Day Will Come, out now via Jagjaguwar.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Seattle and Colorado-based band Packaging to talk about the music that’s moving them. This time they’re paying tribute to their peers in the Denver project Cindygod. The two bandmates discuss working with Cindygod on their own music, but also the inspiration they take from their friend and their songwriting/production wizardry. 

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Seattle and Colorado-based band Packaging to talk about the music that’s moving them. First up, they talk about Nation of Language offshoot band Cutouts and how they completely reimagine Goldfrapp’s 2003 hit and how the song speaks so well to the world as it is today. 

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Ghanaian-Australian rapper Genesis Owusu to talk about the music that’s moving him. Owusu talks about discovering Mandy, Indiana, using their music to practice learning French, and what excites him about the band’s furious sound. “Cursive” comes from Mandy, Indiana’s latest album, URGH, out now on Sacred Bones Records. 

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Photo credit: Powerline Agency

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Australian rapper Genesis Owusu to talk about the music that’s moving him. Owusu shares his love for Swedish band Boko Yout and the band is able to turn the mundane aspects of life into something sonically chaotic. “9-2-5” comes from the band’s latest album, GUSTO, out now on Hoopdiggas Recordings. 

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Song Exploder host and musician Hrishikesh Hirway on the music that’s moving him right now. This time Hirway brings a track from singer-songwriter Ken Pomeroy. He describes Pomeroy’s “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothes” as a perfect song and talks about his own collaborations with her. Pomeroy’s Cruel Joke is out now on Rounder Records.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by: William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at [email protected].

Photo by Kali Spritzer

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.