Today's Top Tune

Welcome to the debut work of LA’s own PJ Western and their kaleidoscopic pop-rock psychedelia on “Human Machines,”produced by Gus Seyffert (Beck, Michael Kiwanuka).

PJ Western Live:

July 12 - Los Angeles, CA - Silverlake Lounge July 19 - Los Angeles, CA - Silverlake Lounge July 26 - Los Angeles, CA - Silverlake Lounge

With her fourth album “Denim & Diamonds” on the horizon, we find Nikki Lane in top form.

Produced by Josh Homme, the alt-country star gets rockin’ with the help of Queens of the Stone Age and Autolux members on the album’s lead song, “First High.”

Catch Nikki Lane with Midland at The Greek on Oct. 15 .

Let’s take a moment to be grateful and appreciate the beauty that abounds with the multigenerational, community-based choir of mostly non-professional singers, Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation. For their debut album “How Good It Is,” Rose took a deep dive into spiritual jazz to cover the 1978 classic by Sons & Daughters of Lite with “Let The Sunshine In.”

“This song is often the opening to our live set and it sets the tone for what we're sharing each time we hit that stage,” says Rose. “The sun shines for every person not just some, we sing with that same brave and inclusive love.”

P.S. Can you spot the voice of KCRW’s own Novena Carmel? Hint: She sings alto!

You can hear the signature production values that Dan Auerbach sprinkles over Alabama native son Early James’ work on his forthcoming album “Strange Time To Be Alive,” due Aug. 19. But when you listen to the lyrics, it’s all James. “Harder To Blame” tackles how we take responsibility for ourselves as we mature.

From the first notes, one can identify the signature sound of Calexico channeling a certain Southwestern beat. Building songs rooted in bass and drums, their tenth studio album is “dedicated to family, friends and community.” Let’s enjoy the title track “El Mirador.”

Multi-platform visionary Santigold issues the new battle cry, “Ain’t Ready,” which she envisioned with Canadian producer Illangelo, Dre Skull, and Sbtrkt. Get ready for more music when the full album “Spirituals” is out on Sept. 9 as she steps into her own power on her new label Little Jerk Records — and get anointed in person when she hits the Wiltern stage as part of her “Holified” tour Nov. 3.

With two decades of solo outputs under her belt, Neko Case presents a digital-only career retrospective of her oeuvre called “Wild Creatures.” Fearless and inventive, Case sings with abandon on her latest song that sounds classic, “Oh, Shadowless.”

As the grandson of Egyptian singer and movie star Muharram Fouad, Belgian-Egyptian rising star Tamino arrives with a sheen of rock royalty. Yet his sound is timeless and border-free as we explore “Fascination,” a song influenced by collaborations with Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood. Catch him working his magic live on Oct. 4 at the Regent in LA .

As a bassist to the stars, you won’t find many solos on Saya Gray’s debut album “19 Masters.” The Japanese-Canadian songstress hardly recalls writing songs, as her process has her nearly blacking out or going into “a flow state,” knocking out songs in about an hour. Check the beautiful flow of “Saving Grace.”

In need of a cosmic lift? Head to jam-band gurus Farmer Dave & The Wizards of the West and their latest song “Ohana,” which, they say, “speaks to humanity’s soul-level connection to the Earth and cosmos with an earnestness that hearkens back to Harvest-era Neil Young and a meta-trippiness reminiscent of Kurt Vile (whom Farmer Dave frequently accompanies musically).”