In Our Headphones

Host Evie Stokes sits down with KEXP’s Associate Director of Editorial Dusty Henry to talk about the music that’s moving him. This time, Dusty brings in “Ico,” a song from Canadian group Jo Passed written in tribute to songwriter Jo Hirabayashi’s cat of the same name. Evie and Dusty talk about the band’s ties to Seattle, sharing music with their kids, and the song’s gnarly bass sound.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’shttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rv9ZZY3SfbkvugQkC1QY2“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or thehttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4bZLwyPT01b-QQ6lhw5T0BnVUYQbSUvm&feature=shared“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphoneshttp://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with KEXP’s Facilities Manager Barry Vail to dig into the music that’s moving him. This time, he brings in a good vibes anthem with “Good Ass Day” by Nappy Nina and attempts to break an In Our Headphones record for the most swears in a single song.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’shttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rv9ZZY3SfbkvugQkC1QY2“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or thehttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4bZLwyPT01b-QQ6lhw5T0BnVUYQbSUvm&feature=shared“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphoneshttp://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with KEXP’s Facilities Manager Barry Vail to dig into the music that’s moving him. Barry opens up about his time with the station—going back all the way to the KCMU days—sobriety, and his insatiable love of music. To kick things off this week, he shares the explosive sounds of Pigeon and their song “NRG.”

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Melanie C—yes, Sporty Spice herself—backstage at the Portola Music Festival in San Francisco to hear about the music that’s moving her. This time, she gushes about Violet Skies, what it’s like to watch her work in person, and the majestic nature of her solo work. Melanie also reveals how she finds music and her favorite parts of getting into DJing.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Melanie C – yes, Sporty Spice herself – backstage at the Portola Music Festival in San Francisco to hear about the music that’s moving her. The two talk about Melanie’s newfound love for DJing, marriage, and why she loves ​​Melé’s song “Ay Si.”

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with KEXP DJ Dirk Whitebreast, one of the hosts of KEXP’s Indigenous music show Sounds of Survivance. This time, Dirk brings in a new track from School Fair and dives deep into the Māori music scene. The two also dig into Dirk’s biggest love: death metal.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’shttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rv9ZZY3SfbkvugQkC1QY2“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or thehttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4bZLwyPT01b-QQ6lhw5T0BnVUYQbSUvm&feature=shared“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with KEXP DJ Dirk Whitebreast, one of the new hosts of KEXP’s Indigenous music show Sounds of Survivance. The two talk about Dirk’s background in music, his work with Daybreak Star Radio, and KEXP’s Indigenous Peoples Day programming. As a special treat, Dirk also brings in two songs for this episode, one each from Amisut and Hun Lynch.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’shttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rv9ZZY3SfbkvugQkC1QY2“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or thehttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4bZLwyPT01b-QQ6lhw5T0BnVUYQbSUvm&feature=shared“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphoneshttp://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Travis Holcombe, the former KCRW DJ behind his own independent radio station, Freaks Only. This time around, Holcombe shares his love for the artist SHEE and their song “Woman” featuring deadream. The two gush over the song’s blend of house, funk, and exceptional grooves.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Travis Holcombe, the former KCRW DJ behind his own independent radio station, Freaks Only. The duo bond over their shared history in Los Angeles, the genesis of Freaks Only, and what it’s like for Holcombe to curate 24 hours’ worth of music by himself. Holcombe also shares a new song from Paris-based artist Ezechiel Pailhes, the track’s Brazilian influences, and the thrill of finding new music.

“Pas tant d'chichi ponpon” comes from Ezechiel Pailhes’s latest album, SOL, out now via Circus Company.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s “In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the “What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast: http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with DJ John Richards, host of The Morning Show on KEXP and The Runcast. This time, they dig deeper into The Runcast and one of John’s recent mixes focusing on dark wave and industrial music. The two bond over their love of the genres and why they’re so good for running. John shares one of his favorite recent dark wave tracks, “Energy is Power” by Boy Deluxe.

Subscribe and listen to The Runcast with John Richards.
Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with DJ John Richards, host of The Morning Show on KEXP and The Runcast. Evie and John dig into the genesis of The Runcast, why running means so much to John and his listeners, and what to expect from the series. They also discuss John’s on-the-nose song pick, “Running” by Michelle David and the True-Tones.

“Running” comes from the album Soul Woman, out now via Record Kicks.

Subscribe and listen to The Runcast with John Richards.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special bonus episode, host Evie Stokes sits down with Perfume Genius to talk about a song that he’s obsessed with right now. The two gush over their love of L’Rain, her fearless arrangements, and her sludgy cycle class she used to promote her new album.

“soulless cycle” comes from L’Rain’s latest album, fata morgana, out now via Mexican Summer.

Perfume Genius plays Seattle at Town Hall on Sept. 28, 2026.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy
Photo by Mackai Sharp

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.
Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Yasi Salek, the host of the podcast Bandsplain. The two dig into Salek’s love of IDM and experimental music and the mystery surrounding her latest favorite discovery, the band ear.

“They’re really collage artists…it gives me a mystical feeling when I listen to it,” Salek says, describing the group’s music.

“Ne Plus Ultra” comes from the band’s latest self-released album, Rumspringa.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy
Photo by Tommy Pointer

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.
Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Yasi Salek, host of the Bandsplain podcast, to talk about what's been playing in her headphones lately. The two chat about their shared love of Madonna and Warpaint, how it feels to be the music-recommending friend in the group, and a new song from San Francisco band Badvril. Salek shares the band's song "Golden" from their new album Lethal, out now via Share It Music.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy
Photo by Lupe Pacheco Gomez

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.
Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Carl Newman of The New Pornographers to talk about the music that’s moving him. The two talk about coming across bands late, what it’s like when people “prefer your old albums,” and why Newman loves the Australian sextet EXEK.

Newman shares the band’s song “You Have Been Blessed” from their latest album, Prove The Mountains Move, out now via DFA Records.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphonesContact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photo by Jamie Wdziekonski

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Carl Newman of The New Pornographers to talk about the music that’s moving him. The two chat about life on the road and having Michael Beach’s music recommended to him by a collaborator. Newman shares Beach’s connections to the Melbourne psych music scene and why his song “Poison Dart” grabbed him so much.

The song comes from Beach’s latest album, Big Black Plume, out now via Goner Records.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphonesContact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with KEXP DJ and host of the El Sonido: Cancioneros podcast, Albina Cabrera, to talk about the music that’s moving her. Albina also shares more about KEXP’s upcoming Aqui y Ahora programming, a month dedicated to amplifying the contributions, resilience, and music of Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino-identified communities worldwide.

This time they talk about one of Albina’s favorite bands: Mexico City’s Austin TV. She shares the journey from being a longtime fan to seeing and hosting the band for Live on KEXP sessions. She shares “La Ilusión Del Tacto” from the band’s latest album, MA, out now via ATV RECS.

KEXP celebrates Aqui y Ahora from Sept. 15–Oct. 15. Find out more information athttp://kexp.org/aquiyahora. You can also subscribe toEl Sonido: Cancioneros wherever you podcast, or watch the videos with English subtitles on ourKEXP Podcasts YouTube channel.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with KEXP DJ and host of the El Sonido: Cancioneros podcast, Albina Cabrera, to talk about the music that’s moving her. Albina also shares more about KEXP’s upcoming Aqui y Ahora programming, a month dedicated to amplifying the contributions, resilience, and music of Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino-identified communities worldwide.

Albina’s first selection this week comes from the New York- and Berlin-based Guatemalan artist aLex vs aLex. Evie and Albina gush over the project’s lush sound and aLex vs aLex’s role in the current R&B revival.

KEXP celebrates Aqui y Ahora from Sept. 15–Oct. 15. Find out more information athttp://kexp.org/aquiyahora. You can also subscribe toEl Sonido: Cancioneros wherever you podcast, or watch the videos with English subtitles on ourKEXP Podcasts YouTube channel.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.
Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones

Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down again with Seattle duo Lucha Luna to talk about the music that’s moving them. This time, the group shares their mutual love for Tamara Flores’ empowering anthem, “CHINGONA,” and what it means to be a “badass woman.”

“To have, like, a chingona energy comes from your ancestors, comes from the people behind you,” Lucha Luna singer Eva Vazquez says. “People that are holding you through it… It reminds me of my mom and my auntie, and the women that I came from that are chingonas. I’d love to feel that sometimes I have that chingona energy, too.”

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Evie Stokes sits down with Seattle duo Lucha Luna to talk about the music that’s moving them. First up, the duo talks about their love for Helado Tropical, the collaborative project from Helado Negro’s Roberto Carlos Lange and Reyna Tropical’s Fabi Reyna. The duo talk about opening recently for Helado Tropical and why they love their song “Déjate Caer.”

“It just found me at the right time,” Lucha Luna singer Eva Vazquez says. “And it moved me to tears, and I think when music does that, it really reminds me, ‘Wow, music is healing.’”

“Déjate Caer” comes from Helado Tropical’s self-titled debut, out now via Psychic Hotline.

Produced by Dusty Henry
Mastered by William Myers
Production support: Serafima Healy

Listen to the full songs on KEXP’s“In Our Headphones” playlist on Spotify or the“What’s In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube.

Support the podcast:http://kexp.org/headphones
Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.

Photo credit: Evan Benally

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.