No, you’re not dreaming — stalwart indie-rock leaders Death Cab for Cutie are back. And what a gift: this track feels like tossing your hair and facing the sun with a triumphant readiness that only being brought up in a time before thinking machines and mad kings can bring. Know what we mean? Featuring swelling guitars that fuse to your heartstrings, snap-to percussion, and singer Ben Gibbon’s same-as-it-ever-was vocals, clear as a bell… just listen to this track and feel good about things for 3 minutes and 17 seconds. Yeah. I Built You a Tower is out June 5th.
Just wanna plunge headfirst into a cool body of water somewhere far, far away? You’re in luck, because this gorgeous single from UK alt icon beabadoobee sounds like how that feels. Calling on your moody-girl or boy persona with expertly deployed minor chords throughout and mixing soft vocals with fuzzy riffs to keep the ying properly yanged, this single’s got you on lock in all your big-feels complexity.
Click play to enter your urban flow state. Fusing sounds of R&B with spoken word and trip-hop percussion, this languid-sexy-cool single from striking UK newcomer Bel Cobain is high on vibes. Practically designed to be that contemplative transit track you put between your ears on the subway, city bus, or while trodding down gridded streets, this song’s the perfect companion for every lone figure in a sea of strangers.
Striking from its first notes, this sparingly produced single from singer-songwriter Valley Boy is a statement piece. Offering a deeply personal narrative through just an electric guitar and his powerful voice in combination, Valley Boy — who only alternatively identifies himself as “James, from the Valley” — invites you to open up, strip down, and get raw. Here for you, bro <3 The debut album, child of divorce is out May 1st, and Valley Boy plays KCRW’s School Night tonight at the Airliner, so get out there to feel the grip IRL.
There’s a certain kind of magic that only reveals itself when you slow all the way down. “The Attic” feels like that, a hushed, glowing artifact drifting in from another time. Originally rooted in Woo’s early '80s recordings and now resurfaced in a 2025 remaster, the track carries the duo’s signature blend of ambient folk, soft psychedelia, and quietly cosmic intuition.
It’s delicate but not fragile, playful but deeply meditative. Guitars shimmer, space opens up, and suddenly you’re somewhere between memory and dream, wandering through rooms that feel familiar but just out of reach. Woo have always operated like an “open secret,” music that lives slightly outside the mainstream but resonates deeply once discovered. This one’s a gentle invitation to disappear for a few minutes and come back changed.
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standup/email(600x100).png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=email(600x100).png "A banner ad reads: Stand Up for KCRW. Dan levy, Irene tu, Jenny Zigrino, Shapel Lacey, March 20, 2026. Comedy Store.")
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standup/email(600x74).png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=email(600x74).png "A banner ad reads: Stand Up for KCRW. Dan levy, Irene tu, Jenny Zigrino, Shapel Lacey, March 20, 2026. Comedy Store.")
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