Song of the Day

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July 31, 2023

Les Imprimés: “You”

By: Jack Anderson

When a genre breaks out of its birthplace, it opens itself up internationally to interpreters and innovators of all kinds. So while we most closely associate the soul sound with Detroit and Memphis, especially amidst this blissful retro-soul resurgence, you can find fascinating takes on soul from corners of the globe you might not expect. Say for example Kristiansand, Norway. That’s the home base of producer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Morten Martens. After scoring Norway’s equivalent to a Grammy for hip-hop production back in 2006, Martens’ creative craftsmanship has only evolved alongside his low-key lifestyle; a turn away from touring led Martens to construct his own home studio and turned recording and producing others into a full-time gig. Yet it was only the onset of COVID that gave Martens the time, even in an already-isolated setting, to revaluate all the skills he’d accrued over the years and funnel them all into his ’60s-’70s inspired soul-funk-pop project Les Imprimés. As heard on Les Imprimés’ upcoming debut LP Rêverie, Martens doesn’t exactly have the kind of pipes you’d expect from the classic Motown/Stax era. But backed by vintage-style arrangements and recording techniques, Les Imprimés transcends “blue eyed soul” with truly beautiful originals, all the product of Martens dreaming big. So before getting lost in the dozen-song daydream when Rêverie drops on August 11th, take a step into the time machine with the album’s latest lead single, “You”. Because at a clean three minutes, “You” presents those throwback chart-topping pop formulas in a way that makes it sound like a long-lost Delfonics rarity just got a healthy remaster. We’re calling it now – Morten Martens is on the fast track to becoming Norway’s answer to Kelly Finnigan.

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February 19, 2025

Maddy Kirgo: “Spare”

New Orleans’s Maddy Kirgo writes music not only akin to the eclectic, all-embracing attitude of the Big Easy, but also to the sounds currently pouring out of its venues, or in her case, the buskers on the corner. To that end, her sounds simultaneously evokes the California country rock sounds of the nudie suit era […]

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February 17, 2025

MIEN: “Evil People” (Live In Studio 1A)

We all know that when an artist is featured on a song, it’s likely that they recorded it remote and sent the track to the main artist. But how does it work when you’re a quartet and only 2 of y’all live in the same place? To ask the members of Austin experimental psych band […]

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February 14, 2025

Kowloon: “Heart Begins With You”

L.A.’s Kowloon is truly a one-man operation. Songwriting? Him. Instrumentation? Him. Recording, production? Yep, all Kowloon. Backed by a full library of effects and music gadgets from various eras, Kowloon released a string of singles last year, demonstrating his affinity for the darkwave sounds of the 80s a la the Cure and Bronski Beat. Ahead […]

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February 13, 2025

Tommy Francisco: “Tommy’s Groove”

Even a piping hot bowl of tokontsu ramen can’t fully shake-off today’s bone chill, but maybe the headspace of partying on a yacht in Mallorca can. Austin native Tommy Francisco hit the scene in 2020 with “Fever,” giving him an international audience and proving his ability to blend his Latin and Indigenous backgrounds into a […]

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February 12, 2025

Serebii: “Verrans Corner”

Auckland, New Zealand’s Callum Mower, known as Serebii, has always focused on pushing forward. Forward musically, forward personally, and now, forward into naked vulnerability.   Serebii’s upcoming album Dime finds Mower at his most vulnerable. Historically, Mower has relied on his mastery of instruments and production with others, namely fellow New Zealander Arjuna Oakes, but […]

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February 11, 2025

Slept All Day: “Asteria”

Austin duo Slept All Day may be new on the scene, but don’t sleep on them. Together, the two create moving soundscapes a la Bonobo and Washed Out. And they use their vocals as an element of the scape instead of its driving force. And despite the electronic instrumentation and vocal effects, the music is […]

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February 10, 2025

Middle Satre: “Corrupted (Uncorrupted)”

Welcome! Today’s theme is vision and reimagining. After spending a childhood in Salt Lake City, Hunter Preuger moved to Austin to sow oats with his project Middle Sattre. The project quickly expanded into a six-piece…and then an eight-piece, and a year after the release of their debut album Tendencies, the experimental folk outfit returned to […]

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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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