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New Sounds

Recent New Sounds Episodes

#5148, From Soundcheck - Elori Saxl and Henry Solomon; Darian Donovan Thomas

Hear electropop art song by composer and violinist Darian Donovan Thomas; and an electroacoustic collaboration by minimalist composer Elori Saxl and saxophonist Henry Solomon, in-studio.
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#4992, Ambient Works For Voice and Keyboard

Listen to works for voices and keyboards in an ambient vein from American composer Julianna Barwick, Chicago-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Macie Stewart, and Brian Eno.
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#5147, New Releases, May 2026

On this edition of New Sounds, explore some new music inspired by ancient instruments and modern technology alike, as we wrap up the month of May.
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#4892, From the NYGF, the First 25 Years

Hear music from composer and sideman Marc Ribot, West African guitarist Vieux Farka Touré, acoustic blues from Rory Block, and cosmic inventions by Vernon Reid and zither player Laraaji.
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#4891, Guitar-Like Instruments From the NY Guitar Festival

Hear music recorded over the 25-year collaboration with the New York Guitar Festival from cousins of the guitar: West African Kora, Mohan veena, Turkish saz, Chinese pipa, and Arab oud.
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#5146, Bang on a Can All-Stars Play Glassworks at Roulette, Long Play Festival

Hear Glassworks transformed by Philip Glass’s music director Michael Riesman for a special performance by Bang on a Can All-Stars for this year’s Long Play Festival at Roulette.
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#4991, Borrowed Vocal Styles

Listen to borrowed vocal styles from around the world, from Tuvan and Inuit throat singing, classical Hindustani vocals, and three-part harmonies from the Republic of Georgia.
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#5145 Miles Davis and His Influence

Hear music by the influential American trumpeter, bandleader and composer Miles Davis, paired with unlikely musical descendants in celebration of Miles’ 100th birthday.
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#4893, Music for the Native Americans

Hear extensions of pow-wow traditions along with psych-rock, hip hop, jazz, and pop from Medicine Singers, singer Joe Rainey, bassist Mali Obomsawin, and song carrier Jeremy Dutcher.
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#4889, With Jason Treuting, Sō Percussion, Angélica Negrón, and Caroline Shaw

Hear collaborative music by vocalist/composer Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion from 'Rectangles and Circumstance'. Also, hear new work by Sō member Jason Treuting with friends, in-studio.
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#4888, New Music From Colombia

Hear new music from Colombia and the Colombian diaspora, including Queens band Combo Chimbita, Japan’s Minyo Crusaders, and electronic music composer and environmentalist Savan.
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#4990, Sarah Neufeld / Richard Reed Parry / Rebecca Foon from NSL at National Sawdust

From New Sounds Live, hear the "Dream Trio" from Montreal of violinist Sarah Neufeld, multi-instrumentalist Richard Reed Parry and cellist Rebecca Foon, recorded at National Sawdust.
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#5144, Mixed Messages

Hear works that combine Renaissance polyphony and prog rock, art-rock, and/or thrashy noise rock by Brooklyn-based Simon Hanes; Brooklyn ensemble The Knells; and composer Kate Soper.
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#5143, Ambient Country

Hear a fusion of twangy guitars and ambient drones in this edition of New Sounds, as we explore the music of SUSS, Chuck Johnson, William Tyler, and more.
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#5142, Music for Saxes

Hear music by composer and saxophonist Travis Laplante, the Jeff Parker ETA IVtet, and the Chicago-based sax quartet ~Nois. Plus trio music from English jazzer Alabaster DePlume.
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#4989, Music Rooted in Africa

Hear works by kora master Ballaké Sissoko and cellist Vincent Segal, South African guitarist Derek Gripper, Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem's quartet, and Australia's Ausecuma Beats.
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#4887, Music in Just Intonation

Hear works in just intonation by La Monte Young, Untight, and Swedish artist Catherine Christer Hennix. Plus, Glenn Branca’s re-tuned electric guitars, and Kyle Gann’s re-tuned pianos.
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#4886, From the Soundcheck Podcast: Hatis Noit

The Japanese singer-composer-producer Hatis Noit layers her own voice - using Balkan singing, classical opera, percussive rumbles, and/or experimental pop. She performs in-studio.
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#4988, Contemporary Irish Music

There’s an hour of contemporary Irish music including work by Dublin-based drone-folk quartet Lankum, Franco-Italian duo Varo, and Irish-American all-star group, The Gloaming.
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#5141, From the Soundcheck Podcast: The Bad Plus

On this episode of New Sounds, take a trip down memory lane as we prepare to bid farewell to one of the most influential avant-garde jazz collectives out there: The Bad Plus.
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#5140, Witches, Sirens, and Female Spirits

From the “witch camp” settlements of northern Ghana to sirens, forest spirits, and sorceresses of various folk tales, explore music about mythicized women through the centuries on this edition of New Sounds.
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#5139, From the Soundcheck Podcast: Rebecca Foon, Eydís Evensen

Icelandic keyboardist and composer Eydís Evensen performs original pieces from her latest, Oceanic Mirror; cellist and composer Rebecca Foon plays trip-hop leaning works from Black Butterflies, in-studio.
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#4987, As Sound as a Bell

Hear bells, either real, or a sonic approximation in music by Chicago-based Macie Stewart, These New Puritans, and instrumental works by Missy Mazzoli, Mary Lattimore, and Glenn Branca.
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#4885, Acoustic Versions of Electronic Music

Hear arrangements of electronic music: Taylor Deupree’s looping patterns and pulses reworked, Aphex Twin by Alarm Will Sound, and Jeff Mills by Barcelona pianist Francesco Tristano.
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#4884, Music for Trombones and Other Brass

Hear a “non-visual film score” by Paola Prestini & Nelson Patton; music by trombonist/composer Andy Clausen recorded in The TANK, and work by trombonist/bandleader Kalia Vandever.
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#5138, Prayer, Part 2

Continuing our series of musical prayers in this edition of New Sounds, we study how spiritual compositions emerge across multiple cultures worldwide.
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#5137, Prayer, Part 1

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#4986, Voices From Half the Globe

From Pakistani Qawwali to the Persian flamenco artist Farnaz Ohadi to the Afro-Caribbean Garifuna people and the Afro-Mexican music of Jarana Beat, hear voices from half of the globe.
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#5136, New Music From Mexico For Battle of Puebla Day

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#4985, From Soundcheck, Third Coast Percussion With Salar Nader

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#4881, From the Soundcheck Podcast, Yungchen Lhamo

Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo combines songs, prayers, and mantras dedicated to spiritual awakening, love, and compassion on her latest, One Drop of Kindness. She performs in-studio.
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#4880, From the Soundcheck Podcast: Kiran Ahluwalia

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#4879, From the Soundcheck Podcast: Sheherazaad

From the Soundcheck Podcast, composer and vocalist Sheherazaad shapes South Asian poetry and music into elegant songs rich with storytelling. She and her ensemble play in-studio.
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#5135, With Jessie Montgomery & The Everything Band

Grammy winning composer and violinist Jessie Montgomery is a popular figure on the new music scene, writing for and collaborating with a wide range of ensembles. She brings The Everything Band to play in-studio.
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#5134, New Releases, April 2026

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#4984, Music for Strings

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#4983, Songs to Nature

Hear songs about nature from a Finnish compilation, “Arise Nature: Songs of Biodiversity”, along with work by Toronto-based duo Nanotopia, and Puerto Rican composer Angélica Negrón.
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#4882, From New Sounds Live: D-Composed at Merkin Hall

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#4883, Music from the Caribbean and South America

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#4982, With Abel Selaocoe, From the Soundcheck Podcasts

The South African-born, UK-based cellist and vocalist Abel Selaocoe celebrates his ancestral heritage, classical music, and deep listening. He plays new music, solo, in-studio.
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#4874, Shakespearean Music

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#4873, Music That Celebrates Nature

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#5133, Simplicity

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#4980, Bells and Bell-Like Sounds

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#4878, Musical Prayers

Hear prayers from many traditions around the world in work by Julius Eastman played by Wild Up, Barcelona-based duo Tarta Relena, and a Scandinavian-rooted duo project called Gabbarein.
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#4876, New Sounds Live: Pamela Z at Merkin Hall

From the New Sounds Live Concert Series, composer, vocalist, and media artist Pamela Z performs her work (and a song by Meredith Monk), recorded at Kaufman Music Center on Apr. 4, 2024.
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#4979, From Soundcheck: Amaro Freitas

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#5132, Ambient Landscapes

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#5131, Not Quite Jazz

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#5130, Choral Works

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Recent Gig Alerts

Joy Guidry at the Park Avenue Armory Veterans Room

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Marty Isenberg’s The Way I Feel Inside at Joe's Pub

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Tank and the Bangas - "Move" (Soundcheck Podcast)

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Chicha Libre at Baby's All Right

The band called Chicha Libre is based in Brooklyn, but their music is based on a sound that came out of Peru over half a century ago. They play at Baby's All Right on May 30.
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Camera Obscura at White Eagle Hall

Scottish band Camera Obscura brings their heartfelt, sometimes melancholy indie pop to White Eagle Hall on May 28.
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Miles Davis 100th Celebration at Smoke Jazz Club

The members of the Eddie Henderson Quintet have several connections to the great Miles Davis. They play the 2026 Centennial Miles Davis Festival, celebrating his life and music, at Smoke Jazz Club from May 27-31.
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Terrace Martin at the Blue Note

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Em Spel - "The Poet" (Soundcheck Podcast)

Em Spel is a singer, songwriter and guitarist; she's also a flutist who plays in one of Chicago’s foremost contemporary classical ensembles. She plays new songs, in-studio.
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Stella Standingbear at Urban Indigenous Collective

Lakota Sioux singer-songwriter Stella Standingbear performs at Urban Indigenous Collective on May 22.
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Simon Shaheen at Roulette

Palestinian musician Simon Shaheen is a master of both the oud and the violin. Chances to see him in New York are rare but he has a concert on May 21 at Roulette.
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Luciana Souza at Smoke Jazz Club

Brazilian-born, New York-based singer and composer Luciana Souza and her band have a run of shows at Smoke Jazz Club, from May 20 through May 24.
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Friendship at Elsewhere

Philadelphia-based indie rock band Friendship plays at Elsewhere on Tuesday night, May 19th.
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Ryan Bingham – "Relevance" (Soundcheck Podcast)

Singer, songwriter, and actor Ryan Bingham is back with a new album. Hear his live performance and interview on today's episode of Soundcheck, our twice weekly podcast.
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Stephane Wrembel at Symphony Space

Guitarist Stephane Wrembel is back with his annual concert series, Django A Go Go, on May 15 and May 16 at Symphony Space.
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Melody's Echo Chamber at Webster Hall

Hear the dreamy, cosmic pop of Melody’s Echo Chamber live at Webster Hall on Friday night, May 15, at Webster Hall.
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Rakesh Chaurasia at New York Society for Ethical Culture

Indian flutist Rakesh Chaurasia shares the stage with Zakir Hussain’s protégé Salar Nader at the New York Society for Ethical Culture on May 13.
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The Hu at Palladium Times Square

Mongolian folk metal band The Hu shares the stage with Finnish cello-metal band Apocalyptica on May 13 at the Palladium Times Square.
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Julieta Venegas – La Linea (Soundcheck Podcast)

California-born, Tijuana-raised Mexican singer and songwriter Julieta Venegas plays new songs from her upcoming album, Norteña, on our twice weekly podcast, Soundcheck.
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Alarm Will Sound: 25th Anniversary Concert at Roulette

Alarm Will Sound celebrates 25 years of mostly great music on May 7 at Roulette. 
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Bill Callahan at Knockdown Center

Singer/songwriter Bill Callahan recently released his 11th album under his own name (everything he did before 2007 was under the name Smog); the record is called 'My Days of 58'. He plays at Knockdown Center on May 7.
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75 Dollar Bill Residency at Union Pool

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Sofia Rei –"El Mundo Es Redondo" (Soundcheck Podcast)

New York-based Sofia Rei had early training as a classical singer in Argentina, but she fell in love with Brazilian music and began branching out into various forms of Latin, electronic, and experimental music. She plays songs from her latest, 'Antonima', in-studio.
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Bang On A Can All-Stars Play Philip Glass at Roulette

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DAVE at Brooklyn Paramount

British rapper Dave plays two nights at Brooklyn Paramount on April 30-May 1 on his "The Boy Who Played The Harp" tour.
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Niia at Blue Note

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Alisa Weilerstein – "The Last Moho Braccatus" (Osvaldo Golijov)

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Pearla at Purgatory

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Red Baraat at Barbès

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Chanticleer at Trinity Church

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Recent Soundcheck Episodes

Tank and the Bangas Stay Lifted With Playful Tunes, In-Studio

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English Post-Punk Duo Sleaford Mods Spares No Fury, In-Studio

Nottingham post-punk duo Sleaford Mods create minimalist danceable and ferocious rants against elite sleaze and fraud, in-studio.
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Avant-folk Composer Em Spel Sings Beguiling Songs, In-Studio

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The Klezmatics Were Made For These Times (In-Studio)

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Texas Aficionado Ryan Bingham Plays New Songs, In-Studio

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Hiss Golden Messenger's Warm and Earthy Folk-Rock, In-Studio

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Multi-instrumentalist Julieta Venegas Lets Go of the Past, In-Studio

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Gamelan Yowana Sari Brings the Brilliant Bursts of Metal

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Sofía Rei Connects Traditional and Future Sounds, In-Studio

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Indie Rock Songwriter Morgan Nagler Sings Her Unfiltered Songs, In-Studio

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Cellist Alisa Weilerstein Wonders 'Bout Sound and Meaning, In-Studio

Alisa Weilerstein is more than just a virtuoso cellist; she is also a winner of the MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called “genius” award and is a master of connecting music of our time with core classical repertoire. She plays some of her series, "Fragments", in-studio.
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Folk-Rock Trio The Lone Bellow Plays Some Hard-Won Songs, In-Studio

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Texas-Born Folk Artist Jana Horn Weaves a Gentle Atmosphere, In-Studio

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English Post-Punk Outfit Art Brut Doesn’t Seem Like It’s Planned! (In-Studio)

The band Art Brut has been making excitable, eccentric indie rock since their debut LP Bang Bang Rock N Roll was released in the UK back in 2005. They play a gleefully feral set of songs, in-studio.
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Alternative Rock Artist Mike Doughty Reinterprets Musical Memories, In-Studio

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Omar Offendum Fuses Hip-Hop, Poetry, and Arab Heritage, In-Studio

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Soulful Folk Music Composer Annahstasia Embraces Dynamism, In-Studio

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Storyteller Dessa Calls Attention to Current Events, In-Studio

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Julia Úlehla and Dálava Forge Ancestral Connections Via Moravian Folk Songs, In-Studio

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Argentine Singer and Guitarist Marilina Bertoldi Rebrands Rock 'n' Roll, In-Studio

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Weekly Roundup

Weekly Music Roundup: Ezra Collective, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, and The Durutti Column

This week, the return of Afrobeat-jazz-funk band Ezra Collective and The Durutti Column; plus drummer Terri Lyne Carrington Trips the Night Fantastic with her band Social Science.
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Weekly Music Roundup: Ruido Tovar, Tyondai Braxton, and Moses Sumney and Kara Jackson

This week, a Eurovision surprise, a Latin supergroup’s debut, and a musical tour of a famous Brooklyn cemetery.
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Weekly Music Roundup: The Strokes, Tank and the Bangas, and Shearwater

This week, indie rock vets The Mountain Goats, The Strokes, and Shearwater offer new tracks, Tank And The Bangas conclude a trilogy, and Laurie Anderson teams up with Sexmob.
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Weekly Music Roundup: The Rolling Stones, Aldous Harding, and Carín León

This week, The Rolling Stones return, so does Broken Social Scene; also, new releases from Aldous Harding, Carin Leon, and Tank & The Bangas.
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Weekly Music Roundup: Gabrielle Cavassa, Cinder Well, and The Klezmatics

This week, Gabrielle Cavassa’s time-traveling sound, Cinder Well’s dark and contemporary folk, and Yiddish Gospel music from The Klezmatics. Plus Latin sounds from David Byrne and Arturo Sandoval.
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Weekly Music Roundup: Modest Mouse, Cocanha, and Punch Brothers

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Weekly Music Roundup: M.I.A. Has a Gospel Album, Reyna Tropical Releases New Single, and Massive Attack Collaborates with Tom Waits

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Weekly Roundup: New Singles from Kelela and Julieta Venegas, and Gracie and Rachel's Third LP

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Weekly Roundup: Anne Hathaway Sings FKA Twigs, Kronos Quartet's Glorious Mahalia, and Adrian Quesada

This week, Anne Hathaway is a pop star; Bruce Hornsby shows his range; and the Kronos Quartet salutes the great Mahalia Jackson.  Also, returns for Adrian Quesada and Elizabeth & The Catapult.
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Weekly Music Roundup: mary in the junkyard, Ruido Tovar, and The New Pornographers

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Weekly Music Roundup: Miles Caton, Nubiyan Twist, and Marisa Anderson

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Weekly Music Roundup: Bruce Springsteen, Anjimile, and Umut Adan

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Weekly Music Roundup: The Charity Compilation "Help(2)", Aldous Harding, and Raye

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Weekly Music Roundup: Gnarls Barkley, Mitski, and Bruno Mars

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Weekly Music Roundup: U2, Genesis Owusu, and Justin Hicks

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New Sounds

New Sounds is New York Public Radio’s home for the musically curious, since 1982. It’s a hub for discovering weird and wonderful music from artists, composers and traditional musicians. Email us at hello@newsounds.org.

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