On the show this time, it's the dynamic experimental music of Japanese band MONO.

MONO has been making music together since 1999. Their sound is guitar-driven, and anchored by a propulsive, hypnotic rhythm section. The music has the harmonic richness of film scores, and they have played with orchestras over the years. Other influences include minimalism, Sonic Youth style noise, My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze, and the true-to-the-sound-in-the-room aesthetic of engineer Steve Albini. They consistently remind us that music can convey meaning, without words, so all these labels and comparisons are reductive. When they play, and you listen, you will understand. Any true MONO fan will tell you - you have to see them live. Their latest is OATH, out now through Temporary Residence Records.

Recorded December 16, 2025 

1. Run On
2. Hear The Wind Sing
3. We All Shine On

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the dynamic experimental music of Japanese band MONO.

MONO has been making music together since 1999. Their sound is guitar-driven, and anchored by a propulsive, hypnotic rhythm section. The music has the harmonic richness of film scores, and they have played with orchestras over the years. Other influences include minimalism, Sonic Youth style noise, My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze, and the true-to-the-sound-in-the-room aesthetic of engineer Steve Albini. They consistently remind us that music can convey meaning, without words, so all these labels and comparisons are reductive. When they play, and you listen, you will understand. Any true MONO fan will tell you - you have to see them live. Their latest is OATH, out now through Temporary Residence Records.

Recorded December 16, 2024

1. Run On
2. Hear The Wind Sing
3. We All Shine On

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the Canadian hardcore dance-punk of Death From Above 1979.

Death From Above 1979 make a magnificent amount of noise for two people. They released their first full-length album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine in 2004. They then broke up in 2006, citing creative differences. It wasn’t until 2011 that the band officially reunited and played shows together again. Since then they’ve put out three albums, and settled into a new era of working together, knowing what they both need to make the band work. Their latest is Is 4 Lovers available through Universal Music Canada.

Recorded January 20, 2025

1. Modern Guy
2. One + One
3. Free Animal
4. Going Steady

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the Canadian hardcore dance-punk of Death From Above 1979.

Death From Above 1979 make a magnificent amount of noise for two people. They released their first full-length album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine in 2004. They then broke up in 2006, citing creative differences. It wasn’t until 2011 that the band officially reunited and played shows together again. Since then they’ve put out three albums, and settled into a new era of working together, knowing what they both need to make the band work. Their latest is Is 4 Lovers available through Universal Music Canada.

Recorded January 20, 2025

1. Modern Guy
2. One + One
3. Free Animal
4. Going Steady

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the fairy goth-psych of Swedish band Den Der Hale.

Den Der Hale is a Swedish post-psych band, based in Malmö, which is right across the water from Copenhagen in Denmark. There’s an amazing bridge and a tunnel between the cities known as the Øresund Link. Depending if you are translating from Danish or Swedish, the band name means “That Tail” or “The Slippery One.” They play unhurried heavy rock with nods to black metal, folk, krautrock, and whatever Frank Zappa is. For this performance the band played songs from 2024’s Pastoral Light, available now on Fat Cat records.

Recorded December 5, 2024

1. The Horse From Turin
2. By Pastoral Light
3. To Begin
4. The Frail

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the fairy goth-psych of Swedish band Den Der Hale.

Den Der Hale is a Swedish post-psych band, based in Malmö, which is right across the water from Copenhagen in Denmark. There’s an amazing bridge and a tunnel between the cities known as the Øresund Link. Depending if you are translating from Danish or Swedish, the band name means “That Tail” or “The Slippery One.” They play unhurried heavy rock with nods to black metal, folk, krautrock, and whatever Frank Zappa is. For this performance the band played songs from 2024’s Pastoral Light, available now on Fat Cat records.

Recorded December 5, 2024

1. The Horse From Turin
2. By Pastoral Light
3. To Begin
4. The Frail

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time is the Jordanian Habibi-Disco of crooner Ziyad Al-Samman.

Ziyad Al-Samman is a Jordanian singer, based in London. He makes danceable pop music that combines myriad influences including disco, psych-rock, 50s rock n roll, and the sounds of the Middle East. He’s not afraid to get romantic with it, inviting us all to dance and flirt, maybe even get a little naughty. For this performance he and his band played songs from his latest EP, Pleasure Complex, available from French label Yotanka.

Recorded December 3, 2024

1. Bang
2. Ya Habibi
3. What You Gonna Do?
4. I Can't Behave
5. My Sweet
6. This Love
7. Space

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time is the Jordanian Habibi-Disco of crooner Ziyad Al-Samman.

Ziyad Al-Samman is a Jordanian singer, based in London. He makes danceable pop music that combines myriad influences including disco, psych-rock, 50s rock n roll, and the sounds of the Middle East. He’s not afraid to get romantic with it, inviting us all to dance and flirt, maybe even get a little naughty. For this performance he and his band played songs from his latest EP, Pleasure Complex, available from French label Yotanka.

Recorded December 3, 2024

1. Bang
2. Ya Habibi
3. What You Gonna Do?
4. I Can't Behave
5. My Sweet
6. This Love
7. Space

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the futuristic rock drama of Guadalajara band Descartes a Kant.

When Guadalajara-based group Descartes A Kant created their most recent album, 2023’s After Destruction, they actually made something much bigger. They built an entire concept and universe in which humans struggle to remain human in the face of relentless simulated reality. Their music is post-punk meets indie rock with incredibly intricate electronics. And you’ll want to make sure you check out the video for this one at some point, too.

Recorded October 18, 2024

1. Hello User / Graceless
2. Press Any Key / Woman Sobbing
3. Self-F / The Mess We've Made
4. A Catastrophe
5. 47 Dogs / After Destruction
6. Enlightenment Bubbles / Restart and Heal

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the show this time, it's the futuristic rock drama of Guadalajara band Descartes a Kant.

When Guadalajara-based group Descartes A Kant created their most recent album, 2023’s After Destruction, they actually made something much bigger. They built an entire concept and universe in which humans struggle to remain human in the face of relentless simulated reality. Their music is post-punk meets indie rock with incredibly intricate electronics. And you’ll want to make sure you check out the video for this one at some point, too.

Recorded October 18, 2024

1. Hello User / Graceless
2. Press Any Key / Woman Sobbing
3. Self-F / The Mess We've Made
4. A Catastrophe
5. 47 Dogs / After Destruction
6. Enlightenment Bubbles / Restart and Heal

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.