KCRW Reveals Best of 2022

Santa Monica, CA (December 14, 2022) — KCRW has revealed its Best of 2022, the coveted list of the year’s best albums, songs, and artists. From experimental hip-hop to jazz electronica, post-Instagram post-punk to neo-discodelia, futurist salsa dura to pop renaissances, these are the sounds that defined KCRW’s year in music.  

Personal picks from each individual KCRW DJ, the Top Ten Today’s Top Tune(s), the most played songs, the first-ever Listener’s Choice, as well as the Best Reads from the team at Life Examined and Pantry Favorites from the team at Good Food are currently online at the Best of 2022 website.

KCRW’s Best 22 Albums of 2022

2022 marked the first full year of art born in the “after” — the progeny of time spent off schedules and outside of expectation, deep within ourselves and together in existential freefall. As we venture into whatever it is that comes next, chaos may not be going anywhere, but it does make for some damn fine company. These are the albums that defined our year.  

1. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (tied at number 1)
2. Wet Leg – Wet Leg (tied at number 1)
3. Toro y Moi – MAHAL
4. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer
5. Automatic – Excess
6. Danielle Ponder – Some Of Us Are Brave
7. Say She She – Prism
8. Robert Glasper – Black Radio III
9. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom – Reset
10. Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
11. Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls
12. Stromae – Multitude
13. Kikagaku Moyo – Kumoyo Island
14. Beyoncé – RENAISSANCE
15. Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen
16. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – When the Lights Go
17. The Comet Is Coming – Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam
18. J.Rocc – A Wonderful Letter
19. Silvana Estrada – Marchita
20. Meridian Brothers – Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento
21. Bill Callahan – YTI⅃AƎЯ
22. Nick Hakim – COMETA
23. Leikeli47 – Shape Up

KCRW’s 2022 Breakthrough Artist – Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul

Belgian duo Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul have enjoyed the kind of year that most artists fantasize about. After a string of increasingly well-regarded singles, the duo dropped their full-length debut, “Topical Dancer,” in March 2022. First and foremost, it’s a banging electro-pop record: released on the boutique label of fellow producers/mentors Soulwax, it shares that duo’s uncanny knack for skating on the bleeding edge of minimalist avant-house. Tracks like “Ceci n’est pas un cliché” and “Blenda” bump along on sweat-inducing grooves that invite total dancefloor hedonism. The album’s lyrics are the real spike in the punch, a consideration of the personal and political that pegs the zeitgeist without succumbing to didacticism. It’s relevant that Adigéry and Pupul are the children of immigrants raised in a stew of unexamined colonialism, but their approach is more open-hearted than polemical, inviting listeners to dance and think in whatever proportion suits them. It’s that combination of vibes – sexy and sardonic, uplifting and aware, rapturous and wry – that makes Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul such perfect agents of our shared historical moment.

As KCRW’s 2022 pick for Breakthrough Artist, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul join the distinguished list of former honorees: Gabriels, St. Panther, Black Pumas, Rosalía, Anderson .Paak, and Tom Misch.

KCRW’s Favorite Songs of 2022 (listed alphabetically by artist)

A great song can beckon you onto the dance floor or deep into your feels; inspire you to stand up or throw a middle finger as you walk away; shout along to the words or just get lost in effable sound. These are our favorite tracks of 2022 — unranked and individually selected — they helped us get up in the morning and fall asleep (or stay awake) at night. Or sometimes we simply played them on repeat, because you never need a reason to hear your favorite song.

• Boy Harsher – “Machina (Feat. Mariana Saldaña)”
• Braxe + Falcon – “Step By Step” (Feat. Panda Bear)”
• Danger Mouse & Black Thought – “Aquamarine (Feat. Michael Kiwanuka)”
• Danielle Ponder – “Fray”
• Gabriels – “Angels & Queens”
• HAAi – “Baby, We’re Ascending”
• Helado Negro – “Ya no estoy aqui”
• Hope Tala – “Stayed At The Party” 
• Horsegirl – “World of Pots and Pans”
• Lisa LeBlanc – “Dans l’jus”
• Madam Bombs – “Get Me Out”
• Nilüfer Yanya – “stabilise”
• Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation – “Let The Sunshine In”
• JJ & The Mood – “How Many Times” 
• Jorge Drexler – “El Plan Maestro”
• Omar Apollo – “Evergreen”
• Robyn Hitchcock – “The Man Who Loves The Rain”
• Samora Pinderhughes – “Kingly” 
• SAULT – “Angel”
• Shervin Hajipour – “Baraye”
• Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
• Tokischa – “Delincuente” 
• TSHA – “Time” 
• Yard Act – “100% Endurance”
• Warpaint – “Stevie”

Be sure to tune in today, Wednesday December 14, to KCRW’s flagship music program Morning Becomes Eclectic, co-hosted by Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez for a three-hour special show highlighting KCRW’s Best of 2022.

For more information, please visit: kcrw.com/bestof

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Media contact:
Laura Cohen, LC Media, lcmediapr@gmail.com

About KCRW Music
KCRW’s hand-picked music programming is thoughtfully curated by actual people, not algorithms. It encourages real music discovery and delivers a truly eclectic listening experience. KCRW Music is helmed by Program Director of Music, industry veteran Anne Litt and a team of influential tastemaker DJs – Anthony Valadez, Chris Douridas, Dan Wilcox, Francesca Harding, Henry Rollins, Jason Bentley, Jason Kramer, Jeremy Sole, José Galván, LeRoy Downs, Nassir Nassirzadeh, Novena Carmel, Raul Campos, Ro “Wyldeflower” Contreras, Scott Dallavo, SiLVA, Travis Holcombe, Tyler Boudreaux, and Valida. KCRW DJs are given one directive: “play what you love.” KCRW has hosted radio debuts and album celebrations for countless artists. Now household names, KCRW has been influential in helping launch the careers of such luminaries as Adele, Alabama Shakes, Anderson Paak, Angel Olsen, Beck, Billie Eilish, Brett Dennen, Coldplay, Eels, Fiona Apple, Gabriel Garzon Montano, Garbage, Gillian Welch, Janelle Monae, Jenny Lewis, Juana Molina, Kamasi Washington, Mac DeMarco, Natalia Lafourcade, Ray LaMontagne, Sofi Tukker, and Tame Impala, among many others. KCRW Music offers a robust array of music programming and content including nearly 100 hours of on-air music every week and a continuous curated stream of music, Eclectic24. 

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. KCRW is driven by the spirit of LA and delivers in innovative ways – on the radio, digitally and in-person – to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in L.A., Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and worldwide via the KCRW app or online at kcrw.com.

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KCRW ANNOUNCES KCRW LIVE FROM…

TASTEMAKER STATION LAUNCHES THE RETURN OF LIVE PERFORMANCES AND EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS 

Artists confirmed for Fall 2022 include:

Cuco, Andrew Bird, Tears for Fears, Say She She, Automatic, Nation of Language, Wet Leg, Stromae, and Danielle Ponder

Sessions Recorded at KCRW Headquarters, Bob Clearmoutain’s Apogee Studio, world-famous studio The Village, and KCRW Program Director of Music Anne Litt’s Backyard!

Santa Monica, CA (September 15, 2022) – Today KCRW unveils KCRW Live From…, a robust initiative to bring back live music to KCRW in a big way. Utilizing the station’s state-of-the-art headquarters (HQ), legendary mixer/producer Bob Clearmountain’s Apogee Studio, world famous recording complex The Village Studios, and the stunning backyard of Program Director of Music, Anne Litt, KCRW is reaffirming its longstanding commitment to feature live performances and insightful interviews from an eclectic array of artists, both superstars and rising stars.

KCRW Live From…kicks off its long awaited return of live sessions this Fall with confirmed artists that include Cuco, Andrew Bird, Tears for Fears, Say She She, Automatic and Nation of Language.

First up is KCRW Live From HQ with Cuco, which airs today, Thursday, September 15, on Morning Becomes Eclectic, in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Interviewed by MBE co-hosts Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez, this session marks the return of live sessions to KCRW’s headquarters in Santa Monica.

Next is KCRW Live From The Village Studios featuring Andrew Bird interviewed by Anthony Valadez airing Wednesday, September 21 on Morning Becomes Eclectic, followed by Tears for Fears interviewed by Raul Campos airing on Campos’ show Saturday, September 24. In addition, KCRW Live From The Village featuring Nation of Language interviewed by Travis Holcombe airs on Holcombe’s nightly show Freaks Only, Wednesday, September 28.

Two KCRW Live From Apogee Studio sessions feature Automatic interviewed by Anne Litt airing on Wednesday, September 28 on Morning Becomes Eclectic and Say She She interviewed by Anthony Valadez airing on Morning Becomes Eclectic Wednesday, October 5.

Also on the horizon is KCRW Live From Anne’s Backyard featuring Wet Leg, KCRW Live From HQ featuring Stromae, KCRW Live From HQ featuring Danielle Ponder, with much more to come!

“It is so exciting to be bringing a consistent stream of live music back to KCRW,” says Anne Litt, KCRW Program Director, Music. “Live music has been a hallmark of the station for decades. Our sessions are musical gold: their vibe, their energy, the pure spontaneity. And the conversations that artists have with KCRW DJs not only offer great insight into their music-making and personal lives — they are downright fun.” 

“The pandemic gave us a chance to rethink and refresh the ways we are bringing live music back to our audience. We’re fortunate to have such tremendous partners in Apogee and The Village, and I’m lucky to be able to host outdoor sessions in my own backyard. We’re using every available option to bring back live music to KCRW’s channels in the freshest, most robust way possible.”

KCRW Live From… scheduled sessions:

Sept 15, KCRW Live From HQ featuring Cuco on MBE
Sept 21, KCRW Live From The Village Studios featuring Andrew Bird on MBE
Sept 24, KCRW Live From The Village Studios featuring Tears for Fears on Raul Campos
Sept 28, KCRW Live From Apogee Studio featuring Automatic on MBE
Sept 28, KCRW Live From The Village Studios featuring Nation of Language on Freak’s Only
Oct 5, KCRW Live From Apogee Studio featuring Say She She on MBE

For more information, please visit: kcrw.com/livefrom

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Laura B. Cohen, LC Media: lcmediapr@gmail.com

About KCRW
KCRW is your always-on connection to music, news, culture, and each other — on the radio, online, and in-person. We belong to Los Angeles, connecting diverse perspectives and the sounds of Southern California with curious communities around the corner and around the world. We are NPR’s flagship member station in Southern California and a community service of Santa Monica College. You can find our broadcast signal in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and worldwide via the KCRW app and at kcrw.com.

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KCRW UNVEILS NEXT STOP FOR GLOBAL BEAT
Global Beat México
Hosted by Raul Campos, Betto Arcos, and Junf
Audio Series Features Emerging Artists from Around the World
Airs Weekly, Thursdays at 10am on Morning Becomes Eclectic

Santa Monica, CA (August 18, 2022) – KCRW unveils today the next stop for Global Beat, the weekly music segment that highlights emerging artists from around the world. Global Beat México, hosted by Raul Campos, Betto Arcos and Junf, airs weekly on Thursdays, at 10AM, during Morning Becomes Eclectic. The first Global Beat México featuring Los Vaguens, Don Couto, and Costa Felina airs today, August 18.

KCRW’s Global Beat takes a deep dive into the music scene of a singular country. The inaugural edition Global Beat Australia launched in 2021 with hosts KCRW DJ Raul Campos and Andrew Khedoori, and featured more than 100 artists from the region. The next stop on the world tour is Global Beat México, hosted by Campos who will be joined by longtime broadcast journalist Betto Arcos, and tastemaker DJ from Mexico City, Junf. 

“KCRW Music’s mission has always been to share what we love not only from our SoCal backyard, but from all over the world,” says KCRW Program Director of Music Anne Litt. “When Raul, along with the Australian Music Alliance, brought KCRW the idea for Global Beat, we knew instantly it was a perfect fit. Global sounds are already an integral part of our music programming, but this allows us to explore the world of music in an even more focused way. It’s a celebration of worldwide cultures and perspectives to hopefully shift our perspective and make us closer than sometimes we think we are. Raul is the epitome of the curious, crate digging music lover, no matter the era or genre, so he’s the perfect host for this around the world journey.”

“As a DJ and programmer, I’m always searching for new sounds that will challenge and inspire our passionate listeners,” remarks Raul Campos. “This extra effort from our hosts is why KCRW has led in music discovery for decades. And as any music fan knows, the only way to really find out what’s happening in new music is to go to the source.  Last year we went to Australia and had a blast. And now as the Global Beat continues, what better place to do a deep dive than the vibrant and colorful sounds from our neighbors south of the border.  Our ears-on-the-ground include Junf, one of CDMX’s hippest curators and DJs, along with our explorer Betto Arcos, the highly respected and charismatic dear friend. We’re excited for you to join us on this musical journey throughout the vast regions of mi Mexico, lindo y querido!”

In addition to the audio series, KCRW will produce Global Beat México live showcase events featuring artists directly from the country this Fall. 

KCRW’s Global Beat is generously supported by the Australian Consulate in Los Angeles.

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Raul Campos
The voice of pirate radio in the mid-’90s and a native Angeleno, Raul Campos came from the underground to represent the eclectic airwaves of KCRW. His youthful affection for music began with the 8-track and vinyl collection of his Mexican parents and six older siblings that ran the gamut of genres and styles. His own assorted collection of music expanded as tapes became the format of choice and Raul began to experiment with cutting and “mixing” tapes on his boombox. At the age of 14, he finally put the needle to the record and stepped behind the decks as a DJ. Specializing in house parties, college mayhem, nightclubs and underground events, Raul quickly developed a following across Los Angeles. He established a residency on Power 106 FM’s longest running after hours mix show Power Tools, along with Richard Vission and Swedish Egil, cutting his teeth banging out mega-mixes. But it was in KCRW’s basement in Santa Monica that Raul would find a home for his motley musical influences. Under the attentive and personal mentorship of renowned Music Director Nic Harcourt, Raul quickly worked his way from volunteer to production and on-air stints, securing a weekly show, formerly called Nocturna, and ultimately moving to his current weekend afternoon show. Campos still loves to rock the club and has been billed along with some of the world’s biggest talents, including deadmau5, Kaskade, Moby, Armin Van Buuren, Louie Vega, Paul Van Dyk, and Mark Farina, to name a few. He’s also opened for some of music’s greatest artists, from Martin Gore (Depeche Mode), Stevie Wonder and Cafe Tacuba, to Booka Shade, Groove Armada and Lionel Richie. Raul co-hosts the podcast Pili, Raul, and La Musica, has hosted the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) in New York for the last six years, and continues his work behind the scenes as a remixer, putting his special spin on tracks by Femi Kuti, Supreme Beings of Leisure, Aterciopelados, and Jill Scott. 

Betto Arcos
Betto Arcos is a radio journalist, curator and music promoter based in Los Angeles. He is a regular contributor to NPR and BBC Radio 3, writing and producing stories about musicians and music from all over the world. Arcos is the Latin music curator at the San Jose Jazz Festival. He recently published his first book, “Music Stories from the Cosmic Barrio” (Fogra Editorial) and is a founding member of REDPEM – Red de Periodistas Musicales de Iberoamérica. In addition to his work in public radio, Betto has taught arts & culture and broadcast journalism at Loyola Marymount University. He developed a musical component for two different courses at Harvard University’s Divinity School, “Religion in the Latin American Imagination” (2002, 2011, 2015) and “Latinos Remaking America” (2014, 2016) taught by Prof. David Carrasco. Since 2014, Betto has been a guest speaker at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute, lecturing on Latin American Music to career diplomats. Starting in 2014, Betto has been traveling extensively in Latin America, offering workshops on music journalism, podcasting and the music industry at major international festivals, including: Asunción Jazz Fest, Ecuador Jazz Fest, Panama Jazz Fest, Colombia al Parque, Bogotá Music Market, AM-PM in Havana. From 1997-2015, Betto created, produced and hosted the daily music program “Global Village” on Pacifica Radio’s 90.7 FM-KPFK in Los Angeles. In 1993, Betto received his Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism with honors from the University of Colorado-Boulder. Betto is a native of Xalapa, capital of the state of Veracruz, Mexico.

Junf
Content Curator and Music Supervisor for Mexico City-based Canela Music, Junf’s passions lie in world music and broadcast radio, leading him to contribute to diverse and popular stations such as DUBLAB (Los Angeles), KPFK 90.7 (Los Angeles), WFMU (Jersey City), The Lot Radio (NY), Rise Radio (NY), Aire Libre 105.3 (CDMX) and more. Junf spreads his radio and world music ideology through the telling of his own experience across prominent music conferences, encouraging future and emerging artists to embrace and share their own perspectives. As a resident DJ in many of Mexico City’s hottest spots, he also takes his signature fresh mix of eclectic sounds, new music, and future roots to dance floors around the world. Junf was host and DJ on Mexico City’s popular radio station Ibero 90.9 where he created an overnight loom of ritualistic sounds through the weekends. Junf also created music discovery mixes for the MAKENWA radio show on Saturday nights with the aim of connecting sound and space, and was a producer/music curator of the popular radio show, Radio Pocajú Internacional on Ibero 90.9.

For more information, please visit: https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/kcrws-global-beat

For media inquiries, please contact:
Laura B. Cohen, LC Media: lcmediapr@gmail.com

About KCRW
KCRW is your always-on connection to music, news, culture, and each other — on the radio, online, and in-person. We belong to Los Angeles, connecting diverse perspectives and the sounds of Southern California with curious communities around the corner and around the world. We are NPR’s flagship member station in Southern California and a community service of Santa Monica College. You can find our broadcast signal in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and worldwide via the KCRW app and at kcrw.com.

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