Pahua, who penned the track “Vayayo,” says that it’s “ the name of the light and hope that has guided me through life, bringing fulfilment and awareness of what is most important ” and that is a sentiment we’ve all pondered during 2020.

Pahua: ‘Vayayo’

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Back in 2018, LA roots-punk pioneer Dave Alvin and cosmic country slayer Jimmie Dale Gilmore wrote their first album together to great fanfare and kindled their lifelong friendship. The duo have announced a new full-length recording, TexiCali, coming in June that promises to deliver 11 trippy tracks, culled from the hearts of these two storytellers and providing a sonic tapestry across their home states. “We’re Still Here” celebrates their bond.

Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore: ‘We're Still Here’

Motherhood is a game-changer for any artist, but it can also open up a new sonic horizon. Monogem is a new mom to a son, and has spent the last year in her backyard under their lemon tree. Her new ballad “Lemon Tree” carries a lilting melody, coupled with organic production and soothing saxophone peeling back the layers of a heavy world. It reminds us of what Monogem already knows: to appreciate the little things (and little ones) in our daily lives.

Monogem: ‘Lemon Tree’

This June we’ll celebrate the 5oth anniversary of the seminal recording by Little Feat with a new deluxe edition of Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, featuring rare and unreleased versions plus outtakes from album sessions as well as a 1975 concert in Paris. Formed in Los Angeles in 1969, this outfit made a tasty stew of blues, country, R&B, and good ole’ rock n’ roll. We’ll share a song you may recognize, which has been sampled and covered by many — it’s an alternate version of the funky classic “Spanish Moon.”

Little Feat: ‘Spanish Moon’ (Alternate Version)

Now that Beyonce released her country album to rave reviews, we’re seeing the buoying effect of her limelight, allowing other women artists to rise with the genre. Canadian artist Kaia Kater shines her love of the banjo with a love letter to her instrument. “In Montreal” is replete with head-spinning experimental rhythms and lyrics about a poet who feels lost and aimless, plus the added bonus of Grenadian-Canadian and Montreal native Allison Russell on vocals.

Kaia Kater: ‘In Montreal’

KCRW host Chris Douridas was heard declaring some fighting words about Suave Bruta, the debut album by French-Colombian double-bassist and singer Ëda Diaz : “I expect to go several tracks deep with airplay on this. My favorite album of 2024 so far. No skips.” That’s a big deal for a DJ who listens to A LOT of music on a daily basis. And we couldn’t agree more. Driven by an expansive cultural spectrum that incorporates a mix of woozy Latin American rhythms and romanticism akin to the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the album makes it hard to choose just one song, but we’ve settled on “Dulce de Mar.”

Pahua: ‘Vayayo’

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