The end of the year is no doubt a time for rumination on the songs that spoke to us and speculating on which artists will continue to make an impact. In this episode, we bring closure by highlighting the best albums and songs of 2018; the soundtracks that manifested our own experiences. The year taught us to look inwardly, as in Charlotte Day Wilson’s “Doubt,” in which she contemplates leaving behind her vices. Love, she comes to realize, is one of them. Empathetically, Amen Dunes considers mythical heroism and the contradictions of the people we admire in “Miki Dora.” And the dashingly brazen “ Pearly Gates” by U.S. Girls evokes the macro message that the ostensibly pleasurable is the political. We won’t spoil the rest—2018: let’s wrap it up.

Episode playlist: 1. Charlotte Day Wilson - “Doubt” from Stone Woman 2. Kaia Kater - “Grenades” from Grenades 3. Amen Dunes - “Miki Dora” from Freedom 4. U.S. Girls - “Pearly Gates” from In A Poem Unlimited 5. Lucy Dacus - “Yours & Mine” from Historian 6. DJ Koze - “Illumination”  (feat. Róisín Murphy) from knock knock 7. Janelle Monáe - “Crazy, Classic, Life” from Dirty Computer

Before we recap our top albums of the year from all over the map, it’s time to stay true to our roots and spread the wealth of the Bay-Area artists that made 2018 memorable. We’re hooked on Tune-Yards’ eclectic patchwork of vocal loops with a piercing message. The easygoing, hypnotic croons and jangly guitars of Spooky Mansion have us feeling nostalgic for that Indian Summer unique to SF. Then there’s the late-blooming self-discovery mixed with jazzy, ethereal rhythm in the latest from astronauts, etc. We’ve also sprinkled in some of that new-new Rexx Life Raj featuring E40. Plus more we know you’ll really dig, no matter where you are. Episode playlist: 1. ODIE - “Noise” 2. Zola - “Blood/Sugar” 3. Same Girls - “Inner Space” 4. Tune-Yards- “Colonizer” 5. astronauts, etc. - “Visitor” 6. Meernaa - “Good Luck” 7. Rexx Life Raj feat. E40 - “Sprinkle Me” 8. Spooky Mansion - “Alright”

Getting a late year Noisemakers Mix out there before our year end episode in December! October's picks jump from LA-based IAN SWEET's indie rock to French hip-hop from MHD, the sounds of Bay Area troubadour Andrew St. James, electronic vibes from Yaeji and Beacon, our late year discovery of Caroline Rose and the dreamy sounds of The Marías.  

Speedy Ortiz's Sadie Dupuis joins this edition of Noisemakers to talk about her cover of Liz Phair's "Blood Keeper," her upcoming book of poetry and more. Five other tracks are also featured in the mix for a September six pack of tracks. Tune in and find more info and links at http://www.noisepop.com/podcast. Episode Track List: 1. Matthew Dear - "Horses" (feat. Tegan & Sara) 2. Mitski - "Nobody" 3. Colter Wall - "Thinkin' On A Woman" 4. DJDS - "New Grave" (feat. Kevin Drew & Kelly Zutrau) 5. Speedy Ortiz - "Blood Keeper" (Liz Phair cover) 6. R+R=NOW - "Awake To You"

While we firmly believe that the song of the summer is independent to you, we've picked six tracks to help influence your decision. Songs For Summer 2018 Playlist:

1) U.S. Girls - Pearly Gates

2) Sun June - Young

3) Jay Worthy - Westside Party

4) Jain - Star

We're back with an extra large Noisemakers episode for June! Since it's been a few months since our last mix, we've got eight new tracks to share (and some extras). Dig in for new indie discoveries, Chicago hip-hop, an exciting multi-instrumentalist, vibey electronica and some Bay Area love! Track list: 1. Jazzanova - “Rain Makes the River” 2. Hana Vu - “Shallow” 3. Astronauts, etc. - “The Border" 4. Ric Wilson - “Split" 5. Meernaa - “Wildest Eyes" 6. Juliana Daugherty - “Baby Teeth" 7. Masego - “Lady Lady" 8. DJ Koze - “Pick Up" (find the full track list of all music in this episode and extra details at noisepop.com/podcast)

Video for FKJ feat. Masego - "Tadow"

Two years ago, we released an episode entitled "Where Are All The Female Festival Headliners?" which looked at the utter lack of big name female acts atop music festival bills, despite no shortage of qualified female-fronted acts to fit those slots. Journalist Alyssa Pereira (SFGate/SF Chronicle) joins host Adrian Spinelli once again, to look at how the festival industry has progressed...or hasn't, in the two years since. Also joining the show, is University of Chicago Data Scientist Rob Mitchum, whose festival gender balance-tracking data visualizations have appeared in Pitchfork for the past two years.

Our annual SXSW episode is back with interviews with four of the festival's best artists: Sophie Allison of Brooklyn bedroom pop project Soccer Mommy, Frances Quinlan of Philadelphia-based Hop Along, Bay Area rapper Caleborate and Tim Darcy of Montreal band Ought. Listen in for a conversation and song selection from each of these SXSW standouts!

February's mix features an interview with hip-hop producer Cam O'Bi (Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, SZA), as he gets ready to drop his debut solo album, Grown Ass Kid. Music featured in this episode includes Cam O'Bi's debut single, "Tenderheaded" (feat. Smino), the much-anticipated return of Philadelphia's Hop Along, Solange collaborator Starchild & The New Romantic, the return of Stephen Malkmus, sultry vibes from Dutch/Iranian singer Sevdaliza, the Chicago R&B of the fantastic Ravyn Lenae and our spirit animal, DJ Koze.

Playlist:

1. Starchild & The New Romantic - "Language"

2. Hop Along - "How Simple"

3. Ravyn Lenae - "Sticky"

4. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - "Middle America"

5. Sevdaliza - "Human"

Interview with Cam O'bi

6. Cam O’Bi - "Tenderheaded" (feat. Smino)

7. DJ Koze - "Seeing Aliens"

January Noisemakers:

The first Noisemakers mix of the year features seven tracks to kickstart your music listening in 2018. We'll share music from Richmond, VA singer Lucy Dacus, Nashville's Liza Anne, Montreal post-punk band Ought, Miami electro-soul starlet Sabrina Claudio, indie-rock demigods Wolf Parade, a nod to the classics by the Black Eyed Peas and new music from Canadian synth pop group Young Galaxy. For a full track list and more, visit http://noisepop.com/podcast.

Track list:

Lucy Dacus - "Addiction." Historian, Matador, 2018.
Liza Anne - "Paranoia." Fine But Dying, Arts & Crafts, 2018
Ought - "These 3 Things." Room Inside The World, Merge, 2018.
Sabrina Claudio - "Unravel Me." About Time, SC Entertainment, 2017.
Wolf Parade - "Valley Boy." Cry Cry Cry, Sub Pop, 2017
Black Eyed Peas - "STREET LIVIN'." STREET LIVIN' (single), Interscope, 2018.
Young Galaxy - "Under My Wing." Down Time, self released, 2018.

Links Mentioned in Episode:

Adrian's Top 60 Albums of 2017 at EverythingEcstatic.net

Black Eyed Peas, "STREET LIVIN'" VIDEO