This week’s Five Songs to Hear are a selection from a very special group: the “small font” artists booked to play at Coachella, starting this weekend in Indio. The music and arts festival is known for its mission of exposing rising acts to its massive audience — many of whom may come for the headliners, but always end up finding new favorites on their way to the mainstage. First up in the fresh act queue is this relatable charmer from young West London singer-songwriter Hope Tala. Click quick for vocals that alternate between creamy-smooth… and punch-out style like slam poetry night.
Take a break with Venezuelan group Rawayana, who've been making psych-electro-reggae-funk that’s perfectly suited to a day trip on a boat since 2007. They’ll be making their Coachella debut this year(!) and they’re a perfect fit for the mighty desert fest. This track’s Latin beat, funky bass, and vocal grooves (with lyrics celebrating PTO) will be right at home on stage among the polo fields.
Seamlessly blending electro into punk, the cheekily-mascoted PRISON AFFAIR are just the kind of band you discover and fall in love with while romping between stages at Coachella. With short and punchy production favoring synths, purposeful fuzz, and a BPM that never dips below hop-skip mode — this track’s gonna keep your buzz up.
We love to be struck dumb by a singer-songwriter. Lyrics, vocal style, presentation: Medium Build’s got it all in spades. With spare-yet-potent production, raw power vocals ranging from whisper-close to big and bold, and deeply emotive lyrics that catch you off guard in the final bars… This song is one to stop the world just for a second — even the world of Coach.
Full days at Coachella will always top your annual step count, so every few hours, it’s best to find a tent where you can stand and sway. Enter Glixen, a band out of Arizona bringing a hard edge to the shoegaze revival. Shades of Smashing Pumpkins shine through this big-sound single that’s hard like rock candy, yet still somehow slow and soothing.
KCRW 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 You received this email because you are subscribed to KCRW's 5 Songs to Hear This Week from KCRW. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.
-1.png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Hope%20Tala(600x338)-1.png "Hope Tala (Photo by Ragan Henderson)")
questioneverything/Email(600x100)@2x.png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Email(600x100)@2x.png "Email(600x100)@2x")
%20-%20PC%20Rawayana.png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Rawayana(600x338)%20-%20PC%20Rawayana.png "Rawayana (Photo by Rawayana)")
%20-%20youtube.com(slash)(at%20symbol)ITGI/email(600x74).png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=email(600x74).png "email(600x74)")
%20-%20PC%20Camille%20Irrgang.png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Prison%20Affair(600x338)%20-%20PC%20Camille%20Irrgang.png "Prison Affair (Photo by Camille Irrgang)")
%20loveletters/email(600x74).png?upscale=true&width=2400&upscale=true&name=email(600x74).png "email(600x74)")
%20-%20PC%20Joey%20Wasilewski.png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Medium%20Build(600x338)%20-%20PC%20Joey%20Wasilewski.png "Medium Build (Photo by Joey Wasilewski)")
%20-%20PC%20Jocelyn%20Pacheco.png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Glixen%20Sick%20Silent(600x338)%20-%20PC%20Jocelyn%20Pacheco.png "Glixen (Photo by Jocelyn Pacheco)")
(at%20symbol)TheSamSandersShow/Watch_email(600x74).png?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=Watch_email(600x74).png "Watch_email(600x74)")
