What in tarnation… it’s a South by Southwest Showcase from KCRW and School Night! We’re heading down to Austin, Texas for the legendary music discovery festival and presenting one night (Friday, March 15th) of live performances from the talent you can learn more about by scrolling this page. Tix are free with a SXSW badge, so be sure to swing by if you’re attending!
Arny Margret – “waiting”
Arny Margaret’s gentle, shining indie-folk tracks are the perfect companion for a misty-eyed morning mining out your feelings. She sings in both English and Icelandic, but the emotional resonance in every note and strum is universal. KCRW SXSW SET TIME: 8:15pm
Miss Kaninna – “Blak Britney”
Turn up the bass for this track from Miss Kaninna, hailing from lutruwita/Tasmania with ancient DNA and a helluva lot to say. With a backbeat that’ll take you back to New Jack City and her icy-cool delivery of anti-colonialist and classic lemme-at-ya rap lyrics — all accompanied by face-fanning, swagger-inducing production style — woooo-ee, it’s gonna be a hot one down in Texas. KCRW SXSW SET TIME: 9:15pm
Lucky Lo – “Peak/Valley”
Been down lately? You’ll be back up… and vice versa. Lucky Lo wanna point you toward the comfort and joy in the consistency of that cycle — life’s all a rollercoaster, baby, so might as well enjoy the ride. With bouncy-smooth synths, shimmering guitar, and a pure-pop mindset, this feel-good track from the Danish band and their self-described empath leader Lo Ersare is a reliable mood-lifter. KCRW SXSW SET TIME: 10:15pm
More: 5 Songs to Hear This Week: 2023 Faves (round 2) from Lucky Lo + more
Alice Ivy – “Howlin’ At The New Moon (Feat. Mayer Hawthorne)”
A mover right out the gate, this collab from Aussie Triple-J sensation Alice Ivy contains multitudes: funk-laden, LA-referencing, unserious, but seriously sick. A veritable kitchen sink track, it’s sure to win you over, much like Ivy herself, who’s been releasing electro-pop tracks with glowing features since the mid-2010s. LA’s own soul-reviver Mayer Hawthorne had a sassy hand in this track — listen and you’ll know how. KCRW SXSW SET TIME: 11:15pm
More: Mayer Hawthorne: KCRW Live From the Basement (MBE, 2014)
Angélica Garcia – “Juanita”
Prepare your hips and your lips for this sensual and snarling nü-cumbia track from Angélica Garcia. Described as a “pop auteur,” the LA artist is making the genre all her own, bending the rules around her unique sound like musical barbed wire. Garcia unleashes her voice with a powerful sense of abandon that feels freeing — listen loud and you’ll want to do the same. Don’t miss the B&W video for a dose of self-exploration that’ll have you in double vision. KCRW SXSW SET TIME: 12:15am
Kassa Overall – “Make My Way Back Home (feat. Nick Hakim & Theo Croker)”
Ready to go home? Make your way back there with this undulating jazz-hip-hop track from a cadre of artists with major wakes in those waters. Avant garde-minded emcee and producer Kassa Overall released this layered statement piece of a track this time last year, and he’s sure to have burrowed an only-deeper groove into the musical woodgrain since then — hope to see you at our SXSW Showcase to experience it live. KCRW SXSW SET TIME: TBD
More: MBE playlist Apr. 26, 2023: A fiery track premiere from Kassa Overall