Featuring Eniola, the group’s new lead vocalist. Fusing Afrobeat with jazz to create a powerful groove imbued with humanity, “Azimuth” is a joyful and celebratory explosion of life and… Continue reading
Lo-fi indie soul with a side of distant funk. Sounding like a cross between the wide-eyed vintage eclecticism of Stereolab, the casual strolling songwriting of Benny Sings, and the… Continue reading
Sampling James Blake’s “Limit to Your Love.” An inspired rework of one of 2010’s best tracks, itself a cover of a Feist original, “Limit” by the Brixton, London artist… Continue reading
A slo-mo samba from Saint Augustine. Breathy and beachy, “Magnolias” is the first song, a chilled MPB-bossa nova creation, from Ímã, a Florida-based duo made up of producer Evan… Continue reading
Cinematic audio artistry from Grimstad, Norway. “Flower Lab” by Rural Tapes, the nom de plume of the Norwegian multi-instrumentalist and composer Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen, is storytelling through sound at… Continue reading
A piano line brimming with hope and optimism. Melbourne‘s very own Nick Murphy aka Chet Faker returns with a buoyant soul-pop cut, “This Time For Real.“ Check… Continue reading
Global rhythms from South East London. Loughborough Junction’s Kotoa are saxophonist and singer Maia Avery, guitarist and singer Memphis Koloi, bassist Frank Black, keyboard player Sam Hillier, and drummer… Continue reading
“Back to the memory.” Very into this new track from the Taipei, Taiwan group 野巢 Nosu (translated as “Wild Nest” in English). “魚湖 Fish Lake” is a… Continue reading
Instrumental surf rock from Lebanon. Lebanese indie music heavyweights Charif Megarbane (a multi-instrumentalist who plays in Cosmic Analog Ensemble and Heroes & Villains), Salim Naffah (from Alko B), and… Continue reading
“Intriguing and abounding, and so refreshing…” “Rain” is a mellow downtempo soul-jazz excursion from the UK house legend Charles Webster, the South African producer EMAMKAY, and the Soweto vocalist… Continue reading
“Searching (Nzira)” is a jazz-house-broken beat collaboration between the British-Zimbabwean artist Vimbai Mango and the South London producer Footshooter. Nzira is a Shona word from the Bantu language spoken… Continue reading
An otherworldly London soul-jazz dream. By teaming up with the prolific UK soul singer Tawiah for his latest single “All Time,” the London-based songwriter, pianist, MC, and producer Alfa… Continue reading
That Wasn’t a Dream, but this is a dream team. The levels are stratospheric on this one. Three virtuosos and veritable masters of their respective instruments—Pino Palladino,… Continue reading
A new bounce from Leon Michels. Featuring a superb singalong chorus from the Ghanian artist Florence Adooni, “Say Goodbye,” the latest song from the storied New York production outfit… Continue reading
Cosmic folk with a soul-jazz twist. Wales-via-Wyoming troubadour Jeb Loy Nichols wraps the sun-fried heat of Southern roots music with the icy chill of Finnish soul by enlisting Helsinki’s… Continue reading
Some UK jazz-infused R&B for the summertime. London-via-Nottingham singer-songwriter Yazmin Lacey‘s latest is a breezy yet confident, percussive modern soul number. Yazmin Lacey – “Ain’t I Good… Continue reading
A dreamy new tune from the Indonesian duo. Tisha and Osvaldo are Galdive, who draw their musical inspiration from the likes of DanDigs.com favorites Jordan Rakei, Lianne La Havas,… Continue reading
Italian jazz-funk with a distinct yacht rock flavor. The highly talented LA-via-Italy trio of Alberto Lincetto on keys, Nicolò Masetto on bass, and Tommaso Cappellato on drums, together known as… Continue reading
A vibe not unlike Thundercat meeting Toro Y Moi. Having previously contributed to music by Kiefer, Orion Sun, Ravyn Lenae, Steve Lacy, Monte Booker, and more, the LA-via-Chicago singer, songwriter,… Continue reading
A Welsh-Latin boogie. “Hei Ti,” the new Welsh-language single from Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 is a perfect distillation of samba, disco, pop, electro, and disco, which is why… Continue reading
A live session recorded during the London group’s recent trip to Greece. With members hailing from Switzerland, Denmark, France, and England, Yuuf‘s latest instrumental is a chilled and thoughtful… Continue reading
It’s so difficult to pick a favorite track (it always is) from the new SAULT album (their twelfth!), but I’m going to go with “I.L.T.S.,” a mellow neo-soul jam that fetures Cleo… Continue reading
A glitchy and shimmering downtempo jazztronica cut from Asta Hiroki, an experimental hip hop producer and visual artist from Brighton, UK, and Tristan de Liège, a Los Angeles-based composer-producer, that pulses with synth… Continue reading
Leon Michels adds lo-fi drum machine textures as part of his signature production sparkledust along with a rubbery funk bassline courtesy of Nick Movshon on this new gospel-tinged retro-R&B cut from Atlanta… Continue reading
One of the best remixes of 2025 so far. A cool and understated track by Ea Akilat, the project of the Berlin-born, Iceland-based composer and producer Sinah Blohberger, gets… Continue reading
The Montreal musician’s latest album sounds like a free-wheelin’ DIY distillation of the best musical elements of Dijon, Paul McCartney, Sly Stone, and Steely Dan. “One Gripe” is one… Continue reading
“When the story begins, we often don’t know it’s beginning.” Drifting away to this extremely wavy oldies-meets-modern R&B cut from the Oakland, California artist Samplelov. Samplelov –… Continue reading
The Berlin artist cites his influences as Chopin, Débussy, Flying Lotus, and Jimi Hendrix, among others. “I Think You Should Try” is a laid-back yet tender and encouraging psyche-indie… Continue reading
Just like they said during their debut US radio interview on my weekly show for WNXP last year, MRCY are now readying the release of their new album VOLUME 2. … Continue reading
Lovelorn transmissions from outer space. “Inside,” the latest cosmic missive from California’s Salami Rose Joe Louis is a hushed and delicate bubbler that glides frictionlessly through galaxies. … Continue reading
Is Future Blues a genre? It is now. Fresh from landing on the number 1 spot on my Top 30 Albums of 2024 list, Margate, UK duo Thandii… Continue reading
Music for deserts. London, UK duo lavender are childhood friends Adam Jackson and Oskar Rice. Sharing a love of Elliott Smith and J Dilla, one is in… Continue reading
Psychedelic fuzz-funk blues. Love this ongoing collaboration between the Nottingham, UK retro-blues funk-rock band Little Barrie and Malcolm Catto, the English drummer, producer, and member of the Heliocentrics. … Continue reading
A continuously updated playlist of 2025’s best songs. If you dig leftfield beats, electronic soul, and experimental sounds, you’ll feel right at home. Listen to my 2025… Continue reading
Still. No. Center. DARKSIDE, the duo of Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington, has officially become a trio by adding instrument designer and drummer Tlacael Esparza. The group’s… Continue reading
A recommended gem of a DJ set. A four-and-a-half-hour inspirational, emotional journey from one of the best to ever do it. (And infinite respect for the… Continue reading
The London musician has previously worked with Nick Waterhouse, Inflo, and Dan Carey. Over the 26 tracks of new album Letting Go of Forever, Oscar “SHOLTO” Robertson creates nostalgic,… Continue reading
Those piano keys. Major Lazer’s Walshy Fire, South London-via-Jamaica artist, Grammy-winning composer, and writer Randy Valentine, and Copenhagen jazz musician Steven Jess Borth II, also known as CHLLNGR (I… Continue reading
A recommended gem of a DJ set. SBTRKT‘s latest DJ set for DJ Mag is chock-full of unreleased heat, including a stirring edit of Mk.gee! (“RIP… Continue reading
The new album from the South London artist. Comprised of three parts and an epilogue, FIELDNOTES: COMPLETE is the latest collection of alternative soul and jazz-inflected R&B tracks from… Continue reading
As chosen by special guest Ego Ella May on episode 32 of my WNXP/NPR Music Nashville radio show. Co-written by Sessa and Biel Basile, “B.P.E” is a powerful alt-soul cut by… Continue reading
A recommended gem of a music documentary. A behind-the-scenes look at how my Album of the Week last week was made. (Stick around until the very end… Continue reading
The latest album from the Toronto musician and member of the Deadly Snakes. André Ethier‘s new album encompasses percussive folk, adult contemporary stylings, and lounge jazz moods. … Continue reading
The London-via-NYC producer and engineer has previously worked with Moses Boyd and Poppy Ajudha. “Save You” by DARGZ is a gospel-tinged, heartwarming slice of soul. DARGZ –… Continue reading
A recommended gem of a music documentary. Hear DJ Spinna, Danny Krivit, David Morales, Barbara Tucker, Ultra Naté, Blaze, Joe Claussell, and more tell the story of a NYC house… Continue reading
As chosen by special guest Homer on episode 30 of my WNXP/NPR Music Nashville radio show, who you’ll hear playing drums on this song. Can’t stop listening to the… Continue reading
The fourth studio album from the North London artist. Teaming up once again with producers Danger Mouse and Inflo, Michael Kiwanuka‘s Small Changes finds him at his most assured… Continue reading
Experimental soul from the NYC-via-DC artist. “i no u no,” the latest track from James Tillman, is an amalgamation of finger-picked guitar, chopped drum loops, and a stream-of-consciousness falsetto. … Continue reading
A recommended gem of a mix. After seeing Hermanos Gutiérrez play live at the Ryman twice in the last seven months, I’m most definitely on an ethereal music-that-makes-you-want-to-move-to-the-desert… Continue reading
The debut solo release from the former Holy Hive member. Ensatina is a leftfield soul and R&B rove from Homer Steinweiss, a Brooklyn-based musician and drummer for the likes… Continue reading
