Song of the Day

Song of the Day > All Episodes

February 13, 2024

Free Hamze: “nothing4granted” (prod. Sekko)

By: Jack Anderson

Valentine’s Day’s not just for the couples. No, there’s an extensive list of local events offering RSVPs to love fools, lonely hearts and relationship-skippers alike. Among that full house of options? Austin’s very own Free Hamze.

Originally enticed into the genre by the Arabic incorporations of Mos Def and Lupe Fiasco (and the early/mid-2000s sound they helped proliferate), this Lebanese-born rapper’s really been blazing up an electic reputation since releasing his debut record Green Alchemy back in Summer 2022. Aside from his sword-surpassing penmanship and complex flow cadences, Free Hamze’s also somewhat of a bleeding heart, having founded the pro bono endeavor Sahar Studios and begun developing a 40-acre sustainable desert community. And while music is unmistakably Free Hamze’s brightest guiding light, principles of relentless liberation, of (true to his handle) freedom in any form, definitely inform Free’s impressive drive, which continued last winter with FREETAPE 3: Survival of the Realest.

So if you’re already falling in love with the idea of feeling Free Hamze’s heat tomorrow night, make it a date and drop by Electric Lounge 7PM then – followed by Kizzy Zeniba at 8 and Space Goonz at 9. But if you’d rather stay home and feel too cool for this Hallmark holiday, sub out a bottle of prosecco with a fresh production from Sekko that came out last Friday, nothing4granted. Hazy guitar chords, sensually subtle drums, and laid back lyrical triplets steal the show on this new sentimental standalone, one that easily elevates Free Hamze over the cookie cutter “mumble rap” slurs of his contemporaries.


Episodes

February 7, 2025

Death Palmz: “IL2H2LU”

I’ve heard your week’s woes, I know it’s been one, so Aunt Tay is here to deliver a little Friday elixir to shift you into weekend mode as you get ready to burn rubber in the parking garage. Austin’s Death Palmz is another project from Exotic Frutica, and if you’re familiar with the punk band, […]

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February 6, 2025

Scott Collins: “Aphophenia”

Austin singer-songwriter Scott Collins has been ever-evolving in both songwriting and sound and now he’s started leaning in more to letting himself define his sound, branching out and seeing what feels right. His 9th EP And All This Happened serves on the title’s promise: it’s all happening. But the early 00’s indie sound is still […]

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February 5, 2025

Small Engine Fire: “Good Old Day”

Who said that energy and introspection can’t co-exist? It wasn’t me. And it certainly wasn’t Small Engine Fire. The new Austin band is made up of members of Lola Tried and Quiet Company, and together they create something a little nostalgic, like taking a ride out to Wilco with your Grandaddy. Small Engine Fire throws […]

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February 4, 2025

Her Mana: “Oh This Moment” (ft. Sarita and Gene Evaro Jr.)

We love a side project, don’t we? Especially when ace collaborations are involved. For a couple of years, Ley Line’s Emilie Basez and Kate Robberson have been creating music as a Her Mana, honing an even earthier and more ethereal sound with the same incredible complex guitar noodling, harmonies, and wide range of world instruments […]

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February 3, 2025

Gus Baldwin & the Sketch: “(She’s Gone) Arigato”

After many years of winning the hearts and ears of Austin music lovers both as a solo artist and as a member of the psych outfit Acid Carousel, Gus Baldwin’s name has been in the mouths of bookers and promoters for years, and more recently, he formed Gus Baldwin & the Sketch. And while it […]

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January 31, 2025

Glassreel: “Myself Included” [PREMIERE]

Winnepeg’s Glassreel is a masterclass on the hard-to-nail trifecta of layers, technique, and breathing space. Nothing is simple, but everything is effortless. Following their 2022 debut Lustre, the group returns with “Myself Instead,” a song that shows the further fine-tuning, cohesion, and boldness the quartet has been building on. While the Belle & Sebastian and […]

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January 30, 2025

Lola Tried: “Degrader”

If Mama tried to steer you right, Lola Tried is here to steer you wrong. So very, very wrong. Known for masterfully blending the emo hooks of teenage Millennial yore with garage and power-pop sensibilities, the group has always been like the adult charcuterie board to pop-punk’s Lunchable. After nearly a decade under those influences, […]

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January 29, 2025

Valley Flower: “Run Buddy”

Rolling into Austin like a quiet, yet alluring fog from the Midwest and Appalachia is Valley Flower, a groovy bluegrass quintet that brilliantly weaves in those regional influences to offer something a little different to the stalwart, homegrown scene here in Austin. And 2024 was very fertile for Valley Flower. They opened for several national […]

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