Jay Som is the moniker of Melina Duterte, a songwriter and producer originally based out of the Bay Area now living in Los Angeles. After producing music for other artists for so many years, she’s back with her fourth studio album, Belong, named for her quest to figure out her place in the indie music scene. While her tracks take you across various genre explorations from straight-up pop to downright experimental, she masterfully curates a cohesive experience. KEXP’s Dusty Henry spoke with Duterte about the expansive sound of the record, including collaborations with emo idols Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World and Hayley Williams of Paramore. “I’m always desperate for connection and understanding other people,” Duterte says in the interview. “When I get to have that experience, I feel closer to myself. That’s what this album helped me with.” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Photo Credit: Daniel TopeteSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Clarissa Connelly’s ‘World of Work’ Rings Bells of Ecstasy and Apocalypse
In 2024, the Scottish-Danish artist Clarissa Connelly put out an album called World of Work. It doesn’t exactly deal with “work” the way that you might imagine in a 21st-century context. On the contrary, Connelly’s opus dives deep into philosophical concepts regarding our relationship with our mortal world, bodily movement, and what’s known as “religious ecstasy.” KEXP contributor Isabel Khalili spoke with Connelly about the themes she taps into, which are as timeless as the sound of the music itself. The album centers around the use of bells, circularity, and death as a form of revelation. “The feeling of being part of something bigger — what is that?” Connelly asks in the interview, nodding to the first existential questions of our human ancestors. “Connecting with the past gives me a feeling of getting really high. Bells have always been a way of connecting to that. They are our structure of society.” Her hope for the listener is that the album can create space, peace, and “even just a brief moment of clarity or wanting to let go and being brave.” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Automatic Gets Live, Loose, and Political on 'Is It Now?’
Izzy Glaudini, Halle Saxon, and Lola Dompé make up the Los Angeles post-punk trio Automatic. They released their third album Is It Now? last month on Stones Throw Records. KEXP’s Martin Douglas spoke with all three members of the band about the new album, how touring influenced their new sound, and finding joy in a polarized political climate. “The worse things become politically, it becomes even more important to have a vision of what you want the world to be like,” Glaudini says in the interview. “There’s not much room for self-pity and cynicism. That’s a luxury that we don’t have. So, when your back’s against the wall, you have to get your dukes up,” she laughs. “It’s inspiring to feel active and believe in something — which sounds hokey but seems to be the truth. When push comes to shove, people don’t want to see injustice or fascism take over.” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper photo by Erica SnyderSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Support A Deeper Listen During KEXP’s 2025 Fall Fund Drive!
KEXP’s Fall Fundraising Drive is happening right now. Our goal this week is to raise $1.1 million to help make up for the loss of funds from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This podcast — as well as all our programming on the air, online, and in our communities — relies primarily on financial contributions from individuals. Our amplifiers give money to the station on a monthly basis, and we couldn’t do what we do without you. Between the loss of CPB funding and the questions raised by streaming platforms and artificial intelligence, we’re at a critical juncture to determine the future of the music industry. It’s in your hands. Please give now at kexp.org/deeper!Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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"Making It" Reveals Intimate Moments in 1990s and 2000s Seattle Music
The photographer Bootsy Holler is releasing a book next month called “Making It: an intimate documentary on the Seattle indie rock and punk scene, 1992 to 2008.” Those were the years when Bootsy was living in the city. She captures behind-the-scenes moments with artists who have defined Seattle’s reputation, from Nirvana to Fleet Foxes. In addition to revealing moments with lesser-known artists, Bootsy also shares pieces of own life as a photographer trying to “make it” in this creative business. “Part of what I love about Seattle is that everyone is making their own art,” Bootsy says in the interview. “There’s nobody telling you what to do. Once I realized that, I started to look at myself even differently — like, ‘yeah, you have lived on your own terms.’” Support the show: kexp.org/deeper photo by Bootsy Holler/Seth GordonSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On A Deeper Listen, host Emily Fox and other storytellers from KEXP talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
South Africa