"Lowmax" by Den Sorte Skole

Song: Lowmax
Artist: Den Sorte Skole
Album: Indians & Cowboys
Also try:  Impossible Nothing, the Avalanches
Commentary: Fun album. Love me some good sampling. Weird video.

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"The Cross" by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Song: The Cross (Prince cover)
Artist: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Album: Pond Scum compilation
Commentary: Not sure why I love this song so much. It is classic Will Oldham, tho. That yelp he owned in the 90s, a Prince cover, (ambiguously?) Christian lyrics, a lotta vibin in 2 minutes.

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"Ikabkaban" by Group Inerane

Song: Ikabkaban
Artist: Group Inerane
Album:
Also try:  Tinariwen, Group Doueh, Group Bombino, other Guitars from Agadez features
Commentary: I love the "desert blues" genre developed by Tamashek people. Group Inerane was one of the first desert blues artists I loved. When I heard a Sublime Frequencies compilation in college, it opened a lot of musical worlds for me. RIP KTRU radio.

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"T5" by Swet Shop Boys

Song: T5
Artist: Swet Shop Boys
Album: Cashmere
Also try:   Heems, Das Racist, not Riz MC's solo stuff (he's much improved in tandem with Heems)
Commentary: Loooove this album. Glad Heems is still kickin.

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"Carmen, I Love You" by Obnox

Song: Carmen, I Love You
Artist: Obnox
Album: Niggative Approach
Commentary: Weird, interesting artist.

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"Lam Phu Thai" by Khun Narin

Song: Lam Phu Thai
Artist: Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band
Album: Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band
Commentary: Good album, fun story. Look it up sometime, how they came to international prominence.

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"Parents" by Denzel Curry

Song: Parents
Artist: Denzel Curry
Album: Nostalgic 64
Also try:  Lil Ugly Mane, the rest of the Raider Klan
Commentary: Thanks to Kyle for this tip years ago. Denzel's good.

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"VRY BLK" by Jamila Woods

Song: VRY BLK
Artist: Jamila Woods
Album: HEAVN
Also try:  noname's on here too
Commentary: Love this album. 11th fav of 2016.

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"Love's Refrain" by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma

Song: Love's Refrain
Artist: Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
Album: In Summer
Also try:  Maybe reminds me of Deafheaven some? Minus the screaming. Just cuz that drone sound. Lungfish?
Commentary: What an album.

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"By the Light" by Moor Mother

Song: By the Light
Artist: Moor Mother
Album: Fetish Bones
Also try: 
Commentary: other artists on Show Me the Body's Corpus I; I wish I knew more local stars from Philly

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"Shine a Light" by Shabazz Palaces

Song: Shine a Light
Artist: Shabazz Palaces
Album: Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star
Commentary: I enjoy when I go lookin for a song to put on here and there's a fun music video for it. Shabazz Palaces are rad.

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"Evidently Chickentown" by John Cooper Clarke

Song: Evidently Chickentown
Artist: John Cooper Clarke
Album: Snap, Crackle, & Bop
Commentary: Two Brits in a row. I guess I heard this on The Sopranos like a lot of folks. My parents thought it sounded disturbing and I screamed, "YOU SQUARES."

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"New England" by Billy Bragg

Song: New England
Artist: Billy Bragg
Album: Life's a Riot
Commentary: Catchy!

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Richard Buckner

Songs: "Song of 27", "Figure", "Blue and Wonder"
Artist: Richard Buckner
Album:
Also try: 
Commentary: I'm obsessed with Richard Buckner right now. I think my friend Tess kept talking about him like 12 years ago, but I didn't listen. Like a fool.

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"It Came From The Moon" by Sun Valley Gun Club

Song: It Came From the Moon
Artist: Sun Valley Gun Club
Album: Sun Valley Gun Club
Also try:  Pinegrove? Spoon? Yeah, Spoon. maybe the National?
Commentary: I love when you forget about a band that you like long enough for them to put out new music. (new album out this year!) The self-titled 1st album was good though.

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"Hoot Your Belly" by Jimmy Lee Williams

Song: Hoot Your Belly
Artist: Jimmy Lee Williams
Also try:  I don't know much about the blues.
Commentary: Heard this song in the Mississippi Grind credits. The movie wasn't that exciting, but worth it for this song. HOOT YR BELLY.

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"Nterini" by Fatoumata Diawara

Song: Nterini
Artist: Fatoumata Diawara
Also try:  Other rad Malian artists, like Tinariwen
Commentary: I'll be keeping an eye out for the May 18 album drop! This video is about the global migrant crisis (cf. NPR's article)

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"24" by Red House Painters

Song: 24
Artist: Red House Painters
Album: Down Colorful Hill
Commentary:
This goes out to my friend Maya on her 24th birthday.
Don't forget Mark Kozelek is a creep, tho.
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