Chippenham & Beyond original

Mirabile dictu! Head Like a Kite may induce eyes like saucers with their trippy dance-party blend of electronica and field recordings, but their feet remain firmly planted on the ground by the hard driving rock beat propelling it all. Mastermind Dave Einmo and his moustachioed crew are joined by Asya of Smoosh for vocals on "Daydream Vacation" (which just about sums up the vibe). Check out the cover of Neil Young's "Ohio." Recorded on 6/26/08 - 4 songs: We Were So Entangled, No Ordinary Caveman, Daydream Vacation, Ohio

Comprised of Kenyan and American musicians, the unique collaboration that is Extra Golden perform a seamless and energetic blend of benga and rock. Hosts Jon Kertzer and Doug Patterson discuss the bands origins, the political situation in Kenya, and the possibility of a positive reception at home. Recorded live on KEXP 6/24/08. 4 songs - OK-Oyot System, Nyako Wasaneo, Obama, Ilando Gima Onge

The album "The Golden Hour" has even more of a global influence than previous Firewater records as frontman Tod A recorded a lot of it during his recent travels East. The music is raucous, rebellious, but also empowering. This particular set features the KEXP staff joining a pirates' chorus on “Borneo.” Recorded live at KEXP 6/10/08 - 4 songs: Hey Clown, Electric City, 6:45, Borneo

The sound of Sons and Daughters is dark and tense with a roots music backbone, upfront bass and a great male/female vocal styling. Don’t let "roots" fool you though, this Scottish group is heavier than most so go ahead and dance or bang your head. They tear up Seattle’s The Triple Door live. Recorded 4/29/08 - 11 songs: Gilt Complex, Flags, The Nest, Hunt, This Gift, Rama Lama, Rebel With The Ghost, Darling, Goodbye Service, Dance Me In, Johnny Cash

This UK duo runs the gamut from minimal roots-punk to electro-rock all with a dark and gritty feel. The Kills perform a spirited acoustic set live on the KEXP airwaves that features a lot of cool percussive guitar. Recorded on 5/15/08 4 songs: Kissy Kissy, Hook And Line, Black Balloon, Goodnight Bad Morning

Minneapolis emo-rappers Atmosphere play a rare stripped down and acoustic set of two songs from their 2008 release "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold" and a new song from the latest in their EP series "Sad Clown Bad Spring #12." Recorded on 5/13/08 - 3 songs: Guarantees, You, Not Another Day

Local space-rock heroes Voyager One come in for a landing in the KEXP Studios and take you away with a set that hovers and jets. Recorded on 5/2/08 - 4 songs: Give, Bed of Sound, The Kids Take Control, Ocean Grey

Denver globalistas DeVotchKa cook up a cinematic melting pot stew from a base of burlesque seasoned with sonic spices extending from Romani to Mariachi and beyond. Somehow it all blends together like grandma's goulash and certainly satisfied the Triple Door audience in this exclusive live performance for KEXP. Recorded on 5/3/08 - 9 songs: Head Honcho, Along the Way, Undone, Dearly Departed, Transliterator, You Love Me, The Clockwise Witness, How It Ends, Queen of the Surface Streets

Manchester, England's Elbow bring their warm and stately chamber-pop to KEXP in this intimate set drawing from their 2008 release "The Seldom Seen Kid." Recorded on 5/5/08 - 4 songs: Grounds for Divorce, Great Expectations, Some Riot, One Day Like This

Locals The Transmissionary Six once again craft a lovely atmospheric-pop record with"Cosmonautical." The duo's sound is perfect for headphone listening, but they sure sound wonderful with band too. The pedal steel and Terri Moeller's vocals make this live KEXP session particularly great. Recorded on 3/6/08 - 4 songs: Zero Gravity, I Want To Deprogram You, Edison Stare, Tugboat

Transnormal sure seems like a good adjective for southern singer/songwriter and all-around character Jim White. With “Transnormal Skiperoo” White says he’s found a sense of satisfaction in life that he never had with previous albums, but his haunting and twisted blend of Americana is still intact and perhaps extraordinarily bright. He plays tracks from the album along with a reworking of “Hey! You Going My Way???” live on KEXP. Recorded on 3/31/08 - 4 songs: A Town Called Amen, Jailbird, "Hey! You Going My Way???", Turquoise House

Check dem stylie massive roots rock reggae from Jamaica’s Rootz Underground in this exclusive live performance for KEXP at SXSW 2008. Recorded on 3/15/08 - 4 songs: Time Is an Illusion, Hammer, Victims of the System, In the Jungle

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down perform tracks from "We Brave Bee Stings and All" in this exclusive live @ KEXP set. Their sharp folk-pop may seem candy-coated on the outside, but there's something irresistibly dark and rich in the middle. Bite in and let the mix melt on your tongue. Recorded live on 3/8/08 - 4 songs: Geography, Bag Of Hammers, Swimming Pools, Beat (Health, Life and Fire)

Grand Archives are rising like a rocket with the combined forces of Matt Brooke (Band of Horses, Carissa’s Wierd), Jeff Montano (the New Mexicans), Curtis Hall (the Jeunes), Ron Lewis (Ghost Stories) and Thomas Wright (the Can't See) lifting their sunny, California vocal-pop inspired songs into an almost overnight Sub Pop Records deal and national tour. Here is a short taste recorded live at KEXP on 2/19/08 - 4 songs: Miniature Birds, George Kaminski, Torn Blue Foam Couch, Orange Juice

Luna frontman Dean Wareham teams up with Britta Phillips and singer-songwriter Keren Ann for a set of moody acoustic pop ballads and a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Bonnie and Clyde". Recorded on 2/15/08 - 5 songs: The Harder Ships of The World, Knives from Bavaria, Sailor and Widow, Words You Used To Say, Bonnie and Clyde

"Do You Like Rock Music?" Is that even a question? You'll definitely like British Sea Power, the Brighton-based quartet, led by the Wilkinson brothers, who bring their epic, stadium-sized sound to the small studio at KEXP. Be sure to download this podcast of songs recorded live on 3/4/08 - 4 songs: Atom, No Lucifer, Canvey Island, Down On The Ground

Gyspy cowpunks DeVotchka are joined by Austin's Tosca String Quartet in this exclusive live performance for KEXP from the 2008 SXSW Music Conference and Festival. Recorded 3/14/08 - 5 songs: Undone, The Clockwise Witness, Along the Way, Transliterator, We're Leaving

Danish ex-pats The Raveonettes blend sweet vocal harmonies with dark and reverb-drenched rumbles of fuzz in this exclusive live performance for KEXP from the 2008 SXSW Music Conference and Festival. Recorded on 3/15/08 - 6 songs: Hallucinations, Dead Sound, Expelled from Love, Lust, The Beat Dies, Aly, Walk With Me

These 2 guys from Portland put out quite a bit of volume. This set of songs from their 2008 release "Keep Your Eyes Ahead" shows the growth and crystallization of The Helio Sequence as a truly great rock band. Cinematic, pop-smart, literary and emotionally sincere. Recorded live 1/29/08 - 4 songs: Can't Say No, You Can Come To Me, Send Your Love, Keep Your Eyes Ahead

Birmingham (UK) based Editors bring their dark neo-post-punk dramas into the light of KEXP’s studio with this set of songs drawn from their 2007 release “An End Has a Start.” Recorded live 2/4/08 - 3 songs: Bones, An End Has a Start, Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors