Wednesday 9:30am
The New Music Feature with Jaime J.
KXCI Music Coordinator Jaime J. shares his New Music Feature live on KXCI’s Your Morning Brew with Jim Blackwood every Wednesday at 9:30am. The segment celebrates new releases from artists and genres across the globe. Learn more about the artists and listen to the music on the New Music Feature Blog below.
07-01-26 Norman Sann “Tryna Stay Alive” from The Monsters They Made
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Norman Sann, an independent hip hop and rap artist from Houston, Texas, who released a new album titled, The Monsters They Made. Norman Sann delivers a passionate lyrical flow with politically conscious rhymes that tackle topics like the exploitation of black artists and culture, fame, self-determination, his relationship to a higher power, and survival in present day USA. Solid beats, great production, and Norman’s strong messages and reflections about the world around him make this an album that deserves more recognition. This is sure to be one of the best releases in 2026.
Listen to “Tryna Stay Alive” from The Monsters They Made by Norman Sann Here
xo,
Jaime J.
#NormanSann #HipHop #Houston #KXCI #NewMusic
06-24-26 Zami Yazeed “Conversations I Will Never Have” from the Release – EP
Today’s New Music Feature comes from singer-songwriter Zami Yazeed who will release her first EP, titled Release, on July 17th. Now based in London, Zami Yazeed was raised in the Maldives. Her sound is inspired by the deep roots of her Maldivian heritage and blended with soft elements of folk and jazz music. Release features six songs that share Zami’s introspective songwriting, emotionally resonant vocals, and rich instrumentation. Lyrical themes include thoughts on love, identity, autonomy, shame, homesickness, and emotional healing. The EP is described on Zami’s Bandcamp page as “…a deeply personal yet universal body of work, offering moments of reflection, catharsis, and emotional honesty.”
Listen to the song “Conversations I’ll Never Have” Here
Follow Zami Yazeed here: @zamiyazeed
All music links: Zami Yazeed
xo,
Jaime J.
#ZamiYazeed #NewMusic #KXCITucson #Maldives
06-17-26 Naga Kirana “Lumba2” from Lumba2 – Single
Today’s new music feature comes from Amsterdam based, Indonesian synth-folk-pop collective, Naga Kirana, who released 2 songs ahead of their forthcoming full-length release. The Dutch and Indonesian collective draw musical inspiration from Indonesian folk music, adding in electronic and synthesizer elements and danceable beats. Their song “Lumba2,” which translates to “Dolphins” in Indonesian, is a playful groove that glides atop gamelan melodies and a hypnotizing rhythm. The band says the song conveys a message of meditation on appearances and emotional ambiguity with lyrics that serve as a reminder on how joy can conceal hidden depths. Take a listen to this one, and try Not to hit that repeat button for hours on end.
Listen to Naga Kirana’s “Lumba2″ Here
Follow Naga Kirana here: @nagakirana.musik
xo,
Jaime J.
#NagaKirana #NewMusic #KXCITucson #Indonesia
06-10-26 Baby Cool “Sky” from Infinity Baby
This week we head down to Byron Bay, Australia where indie artist Baby Cool has released a new album titled, Infinity Baby. Baby Cool is the solo project from singer Grace Cuell, who is a member of the Australian psychedelic-rock band Nice Biscuit. On the new solo album, Baby Cool takes a lovely leap into dreamy, self-reflective, singer-songwriter musings on love and life, reflecting on constant shifts in meaning and change. She has described the album as a deep dive into the shadows around her.
Listen to “Sky” by Baby Cool here
Follow Baby Cool here: @babycool.music
xo,
Jaime J.
#BabyCool #NewMusic #KXCI #Tucson
06-03-26 Bebé “Compartilhando o Céu”(ft. Tassia Reis) from Dissolução
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Sao Paulo, Brazil where jazz-indie artist Bebé has released her third album titled Dissolução. This new release sees the 22 year old artist sitting in the producer’s chair alongside her brother, Felipe Salvego. Together the pair created a smooth, dreamy sound that brings Brazilian song close to the freedom of jazz with a grain of contemporary indie music. Bebe’s Bandcamp page describes Dissolução as a musical documentation of having the courage to cross through life’s dissolution without knowing what comes next.
Listen to “Compartilhando o Céu” from Dissolução here
Follow Bebé here: @bebesalvego
xo,
Jaime J.
#Bebe #SauPaolo #NewMusic #KXCITucson
05-13-26 Kelsey Lu “Running To Pain” from So Help Me God
Today’s New Music Feature comes to from Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, producer, and cellist Kelsey Lu whose new album, So Help Me God, drops on June 12th. The new record is said to blend distorted guitars, choral swells and dark electronic pulses into a sonic landscape that moves between intensity and cinematic scale. It is described as an expansion of Lu’s creative universe – where music, visual art and performance converge.
Listen to Running To Pain here
Follow Kelsey Lu: @iamkelseylu
xo,
Jaime J.
#KelseyLu #NewMusic #KXCI #Tucson
04-22-26 Alabama Shakes “American Dream” from their forthcoming third album
Today’s New Music feature comes from Athens, Alabama’s Alabama Shakes. The acclaimed blues-rock band regrouped last year after a 7 year hiatus that saw lead vocalist Brittany Howard releasing 2 successful solo albums.
The Alabama Shakes are now performing as a three piece that includes Brittany Howard alongside Zac Cockrell and Heath Fogg. They have been releasing new singles while working on their third album. Their new song, “American Dream,” is a psychedelic rock-like protest song with commentary on the current state of our nation. The band is currently on tour with dates in Europe and the United States.
Listen to American Dream here
Follow Alabama Shakes: Alabama Shakes Website
xo,
Jaime J.
#AlabamaShakes #NewMusic #KXCI #Tucson
04-15-26 Witch Prophet Words Are Spells, Thoughts Are Magic
This week’s New Music feature comes from Witch Prophet who just dropped a new album titled, Words Are Spells, Thoughts Are Magic. Witch Prophet is a Canadian artist with East African roots. This release was created after she underwent brain surgery in 2023. The new music marks Witch Prophet’s re-birth in which she honors her African ancestry using live recordings of her family matriarchs & lyrics in Tigrinya, Amharic, & English. The album presents mystical intersections between jazz, hip hop, & neo-soul music. It’s a great record for anyone that likes to get lost in music while contemplating the greater universe around them.
Listen to Words Are Spells, Thoughts Are Magic Here
Follow Witch Prophet: @witchprophet
xo,
Jaime J.
#WitchProphet #Canada #EastAfrica #KXCI
04-08-26 Nuevos Rios from Nuevos Rios
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Nuevos Rios which is a collaborative project featuring Colombia’s iconic group Canalón de Timbiquí, led by vocalist Nidia Góngora, and Toulouse-based trio Reco Reco, who are known for their explorations in electronic rhythms from South America and the greater world.
Rooted on the banks of the Timbiquí River in Colombia, Nuevos Rios takes inspiration from Afro-Colombian chants, percussion, and rhythms, and enriches the sounds with electronic textures and global influences. The group describe their music as a human and artistic meeting point that flows across continents, oceans, and rivers, with the moon bearing witness to a cultural exchange and a rebirth of sound.
Standout songs on the new album include “Malvada,” La Vida es un baile,” and “Sumba Ale.”
Listen to Nuevos Rios Here
Follow Nuevos Rios: @nuevos.rios
xo,
Jaime J.
#NuevosRios #Colombia #NewMusic #KXCI
04-01-26 billy woods, Mickey Diamond, Sam Seed, & DJ Bnutz “Peter and the Wolf”
This week’s New Music Feature is a collaborative retelling of composer Sergei Prokofiev’s classic children’s tale, Peter and the Wolf, which was originally written in 1936 as part of a symphonic tale for children featuring orchestral accompaniment. The retelling comes to us in the form of a hip hop track produced by London artist Sam Seed. The song features vocals by rappers billy woods, in the role of Peter, and Mickey Diamond, as The Wolf, with DJ Bnutz adding in scratched samples of the U.S. story narration by Richard Hale which debuted in 1938.
Listen to “Peter and the Wolf” Here
Follow the artists:
@samseed
@armandhammernyc
@diamond__dallas
@jasonbeamish
xo,
Jaime J.
#PeterAndTheWolf #SamSeed #BillyWoods #MickeyDiamond #DJBnutz #KXCITucson
03-18-26 Joshua Idehen I know you’re hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try.
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Joshua Idehen who is a British-born, Nigerian artist based in Sweden.
Idehen’s new release is an uplifting spoken word and dance album made in collaboration with his creative partner, producer Ludvig Parment. The album is titled I know you’re hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try.
The release combines Idehen’s spoken word poetry alongside Parment’s danceable house beats with audio samples from folks speaking on love, resilience, grief, and even exercise routines. The release is described as a transcendent work that holds space for grief, euphoria and hope. Standout songs include “Mum Does The Washing,” “Don’t Let It Get You Down,” and “It Always Was.”
Listen to Josh Idehen’s New Album Here
Follow Joshua Idehen: @joshuaidehen
xo,
Jaime J.
#JoshuaIdehen #KXCI #SpokenWord #NewMusic
03-11-26 Underground Resistance “When Angels Speak” (f. Saul Williams) from When There Is No Sun
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Detroit techno collective, Underground Resistance, featuring the voice of musician and poet, Saul Williams, who come together to re-imagine and honor the great and innovative musician and poet, Sun Ra.
Underground Resistance and Saul Williams have come together to create their own version of Sun Ra’s poem “When Angels Speak.” The song comes from a forthcoming full length release titled, When There Is No Sun, out March 27th on Omni Sound Records. It features works by artists like Tunde Adebimpe, Ricardo Villalobos, She Spells Doom, and more. The album is not described as a tribute but rather a global recording project, uniting visionary electronic music producers to reimagine the universe of the great and innovative, Sun Ra.
Listen to “When Angels Speak” and learn more here
Follow Underground Resistance: @undergroundresistance313
Follow Saul Williams: @saulwilliams
Follow Omni Sound Records: @omnisound_
xo,
Jaime J.
#UndergroundResistance #SaulWilliams #SunRa
03-04-26 Cable Boy “Icarus” from the forthcoming debut release Forever
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Cable Boy, a five-piece dream-pop and shoegaze band from Dublin, Ireland. The band just released a new single titled, “Icarus,” which is taken from their forthcoming debut album titled, Forever, available April 17th.
Cable Boy was formed in 2018 by friends Semilore Olusa and Liam Murray. The lineup also includes Corneille Tshibasu, Jason Aikhionbare, and Fionn McLoughlin. The band describes their sound as shoegaze-leaning, goth-disco.
They will embark on their first headlining Irish tour this year coinciding with the release of their debut.
Listen to “Icarus” by Cable Boy here
Follow Cable Boy on Instagram: @cableboyband
xo,
Jaime J.
#CableBoy #Dublin #KXCI #NewMusic
02-25-26 Jill Scott “Norf Side” (feat. Tierra Whack) from To Whom This May Concern
This week’s New Music Feature comes from North Philly R&B and neo-soul legend, Jill Scott, who dropped her first album in over a decade titled To Whom This May Concern.
The new album nods to Jill’s quintessential sound while bouncing forward into blazing moments of funk, hip hop, jazz, and poetry. Lyrical themes include self-reflection, self-love, and appreciating one’s greatness. Jill Scott offers the empowerment and encouragement for herself and her listeners to go for the things they want in life. It’s a celebration of life, joy, and the Black experience with dedications to Scott’s ancestry and inspirations.
Take a listen to the standout song, “Norf Side,” which features Scott’s fellow North Philly collaborator, the innovative Tierra Whack, in an homage to their hometown.
Please note the songs included here contain explicit lyrics although clean versions are available on music streaming sites.
Listen to “Norf Side” (feat. Tierra Whack)(Explicit) from To Whom This May Concern by Jill Scott
Read about “Norf Side” and it’s homage to North Philly
Follow Jill Scott on Instagram: @missjillscott
xo,
Jaime J.
#JillScott #ToWhomItMayConcern #TierraWhack #NewMusic
NEW MUSIC FEATURE BLOG
02-18-26 Miloe “MN Goodbye” from Melt ICE: Minnesota Artists United Against ICE
This week’s New Music Feature comes from the Melt ICE compilation which was organized by Minnesota Artists United Against ICE. The compilation features over 100 Minnesota artists who have shared their music in direct support of their community. The album was released on Bandcamp as a mutual aid benefit for MNTogether, which is an initiative that supports Minnesotans impacted by ICE operations. MNTogether also works in partnership with MARCH, a collective of multifaith leaders working to help community members in need.
Listen to and support Melt ICE here
xo,
Jaime J.
#Minnesota #Benefit #NewMusic #KXCI
02-11-26 Kareen Lomax “Somewhere In The World” from IJAN
Atlanta-based artist Kareen Lomax released a new EP titled IJAN on Friday, February 6th. The new EP contains elements of neo-soul, progressive R&B, and acoustic balladry alongside her remarkable voice (it’s a beauty). Lomax says she makes music for those on a quest towards self-love but without the tools to navigate the journey. Some of the writing on IJAN occurred after the loss of her father as she waded through major loss and change.
Kareen Lomax has worked with artists including Leon Bridges, Syd, and Diplo. Now is her time to share her own art with the world. Take a listen to the EP closer and Lomax’s favorite song, “Somewhere In The World,” which is to be played for someone you don’t want to lose.
Listen to IJAN by Kareen Lomax here
Follow Kareen Lomax on Instagram: @kareenlomax
xo,
Jaime J.
#KareenLomax #IJAN #NewMusic #KXCI
01-28-26 Whodamanny Onda Biloba
Italian dance music producer Raffaele “Whodamanny” Arcella has been making evocative, global dance music on his label, Biloba Records, for quite some time. His new full-length release, aptly titled Onda Biloba, plays out like a steamy after-hours dance party on a humid summer night.
Vintage audio textures alongside Italo-disco, reggae, funk, samba, and house beats make this a *hot* moment in what the album liner notes call “paradise pop.” Standout songs include “Loca Loca,” “Suavemente (feat. Sandy Nuni),” and “Placebo.”
Listen to Onda Biloba on Bandcamp
Follow Whodamanny on Instagram: @whodamanny_biloba
xo,
Jaime J.
#Whodamanny #Italy #Dance #KXCI
01-21-26 Dames Brown “You’re The One For Me” from Take Me As I Am
This week’s New Music Feature comes from Detroit trio Dames Brown, who will release their debut album, Take Me As I Am, January 21st on UK house music label Defected Records. The debut is a joyous celebration of Detroit’s musical history and a personal tribute to the trio’s late mentor and producer Amp Fiddler.
Dames Brown consists of power vocalists Athena Johnson, Teresa Marbury, and LaRae Starr. Their music combines R&B, soul, gospel, disco and the genre-defining sounds of Detroit house and dance music. The new release features collaborations from Detroit music legends like Andrés, Eddie Fowlkes, and Waajeed. All of these artists worked together to create a banger love letter to Detroit’s musical history, “…from the grit of its streets to the warmth of its soul.”
Listen to “You’re The One For Me” by Dames Brown on Bandcamp
Follow Dames Brown on Instagram: @damesbrown1
xo,
Jaime J.
#DamesBrown #Detroit #House #Disco #Soul #Gospel
01-07-26 Shea “Pangea” from Eskipade
My first New Music Feature in 2026 comes from local band Shea which is a new collaborative project by Mattie Hawkins, Trey Cardi, and JC Chiriguayo. The band released their debut EP titled Eskipade on January 1st. Shea’s music combines fuzzy and atmospheric rock sounds with what they call a “specific, euphoric melancholy.” Post punk and shoegaze fans are sure to appreciate Shea’s sound.
The band takes it’s name from Shea Boulevard in Phoenix, AZ, a street that holds complicated memories for band member Trey Cardi who describes it as an odd juxtaposition between “sterile golf courses” and a looming Arizona skyline. It’s that juxtaposition that perhaps inspired the EP’s apocalyptic feel.
Listen to “Pangea” and the Eskipade EP by Shea on Bandcamp
xo,
Jaime J.
#KXCI #Shea #Local #Music