5/24/26 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: Vince Staples "White Flag" Loma Vista
Album of the Week: Ecca Vandal "LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW" Loma Vista

Vince Staples "White Flag"
Ecca Vandal "EYES SHUT"
Mike D "What We Got Right"
Blondshell "Heart Has To Work So Hard"
Bleachers "We Should Talk"
Future Islands "Six Weeks"
Paper Pools "A Field of Poppy"
Sungaze "Sold Out"
Kyle Morgan "Paper Towel Ballad"
Lennie Rayen "Snake Song"
Sea Moss "First Greens"
Miscomings "I'm Blue"
it foot, it ears(feat. Vie) "Begats"
Cigarettes After Sex "Twizzler"
Sharada Shashidhar "Reassurance"
TOKiMONSTA "Joy Without Sound"

-hour 2-

Jorja Smith "What's Done Is Done"
Jordan Patterson "Just My Friend"
The Rose Hips "Spacey"
My Precious Bunny "KookieCannibal"
Panic Shack "grin & bear it"
Gurriers "Nobody's Coming To Save You"
Quicksand "Crystallize"
Graham Coxon "Alright"
Ed O'Brien "Sweet Spot"
aja monet "song of myself"
Marisa Anderson "Zar"
The Haunted Youth & Max Fry "deathwish"
Post Sex Nachos (feat. BAILEN) "A Lot To Lose"
A Certain Ratio "Lucinda"
A Certain Ratio "Naked and White"
Camp Crush "I Love You Always Forever"
April and VISTA "Do What You Know"

Image made with AI and a lot of knicks yearning

NOT ON SPOTIFY:
Paper Pools "A Field of Poppy"
Camp Crush "I Love You Always Forever"

Technically yesterday was a holiday, so I'm not late with a Tuesday update.

With that said...

WHAT DID I SAY?! KNICKS IN 4 ALL DAY AGAINST THE CAVS!!! I'MMA BE UNCORAGEABLE NEXT WEEK WHEN THE KNICKS ARE IN THE NBA FINALS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

The last time the Knicks were in the Finals, I was 19, attending Seton Hall University, with jet-black hair all the way down my back. A lot has changed since then, but one thing hasn't: my love for the New York Knickerbockers and my hope of seeing them win an NBA championship.

I've been alive for 46 years and the Knicks have never won a title in my lifetime. Will it happen this year? I can't answer that. What I can say with certainty is that I will be representing hard out here on the West Coast. Seriously, if I hear another amateur SoCal sports analyst explain how the Knicks are going to fold against whoever comes out of the West, I may have to demonstrate how we fold up people from the West personally.

Another thing I can say with 100% certainty is that New Noize will be firing at a higher shooting percentage than Landry Shamet in the Eastern Conference Finals. (That's a record-setting 91.7%, by the way.)

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

Wait, wait, wait.

I saw The Mandalorian & Grogu do their thing, and I'm happy to report that it's a great flick. I don't spoil things and I'm not about to start now. All I'll say is that it's a fantastic space western made for both the greenest and most decorated Star Wars fans.

OK, now let's get into New Noize, which was very much on its own vibe this week.

I had a lot of looser-fitting pieces throughout the set. Artists with noisier, more avant-garde tendencies took center stage, but instead of giving them a dedicated spotlight, I scattered them throughout the two-hour show. Somehow it worked. At least it worked for me.

Album of the Week contenders included Future Islands, Sungaze, aja monet, and Tip Toe Loops by it foot, it ears. All of these records shine in their own ways.

Future Islands' latest release is a celebration of all things Future Islands. No, seriously they released 20 songs for 20 years. While it's clearly catered toward longtime fans, new listeners could absolutely begin their Future Islands journey here.

Sungaze brings their bright shoegaze style to I'm No Longer Afraid of Heights, which may or may not be a statement filled with false confidence. You know when you tell yourself you're not afraid of something even though you absolutely are? Confidence isn't about pretending fear doesn't exist. It's about dealing with your fears rather than running from them. That's how this record feels. It's optimistic and, dare I say, uplifting, despite all the glorious walls of feedback.

aja monet's latest release will transport you far away while simultaneously grounding you in the present moment and you don't even have to take off your shoes. This is a record that encourages exploration while reminding you to stay aware of your surroundings.

I've been waiting for the full-length release of Tip Toe Loops by it foot, it ears with great anticipation. I love this record, and longtime fans will too. It would have been my Album of the Week if the next release hadn't arrived.

That release is LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW.

Ecca Vandal is back with another aggressively Ecca Vandal record. This album pushes her already unconventional style even further into a frantic genre-blending experience that jumps between ideas faster than most artists change musical directions. Her vocals rasp across landscapes that never ask for permission. The record simply assumes you bought a ticket and it's time to strap in. Whether you hold on tight or spill out of your seat, the result is the same; you'll come out the other side different, but safe.

There's a certain maturity here for longtime Ecca Vandal fans, with plenty of Easter eggs referencing earlier projects. The album carries a cinematic quality throughout its nearly 42-minute runtime, positioning the listener alongside our hero as she navigates a chaotic reality.

I've revisited this record multiple times and continue to uncover new details with every listen. Midway through, there are groove-heavy, laid-back moments where smoother vocals take center stage. Eventually the record ramps back into its aggression, but now those calmer textures remain, creating a third act that couldn't exist without the first two.

THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO ALBUMS IN ORDER, FRONT TO BACK.

Don't worry, single-serving listeners. We all know who you are. You can't make it through three songs before jumping to another record.

The funny thing is that any of these songs could stand on their own as singles. The album even works surprisingly well on shuffle, which raises the question: was that intentional?

Only one way to find out.

Listen to LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW.

I also wanted to highlight a record I completely missed last month: Traditional Noise by April and VISTA.

My bad.

This just proves that I'm human and sometimes things fly under my radar. The complexities of modern relationships are showcased throughout Traditional Noise, making it a worthy addition to your R&B rotation. Its slick presentation and effortlessly cool style pull you in and might even inspire you to slow dance by yourself. (What do you want from me? I'm hyper-single.)

A Certain Ratio is celebrating two anniversaries this year: 45 years of Sextet and 40 years of Force. Mute Records is reissuing both classics on August 28, so I decided to play a track from each record back-to-back because we here at New Noize love fun. Plus, it's rare that I get to play classic tracks. You've got to love the reissue/new music loophole.

Speaking of back-to-back songs, I also played consecutive tracks from the upcoming collaborative record Big Tube Scene by Sea Moss and Miscomings.

Did it help that both bands recently released music videos for the songs and that you can watch them on YouTube right now?

Yes. Yes, it did.

Mike D released another new song, "What We Got Right," and the rest of us are sitting here wondering where the full record is. So far he's dropped two absolute bangers. Stop making us wait, Mike D.

I got completely wrapped up in Jorja Smith's "What's Done Is Done." Summer is here. But are you?

Your New Noize Song of the Week belongs to Vince Staples and "White Flag." Always political, always quick with a clever response, and constantly entertaining, Vince Staples paints a vivid picture with his latest narrative. His focus is so sharp and effortless that I can never tell whether he's stressed or simply stretching. If you're wondering when his new album Cry Baby arrives, you won't have to wait long. Give it two Fridays.

I just realized my first two tracks this week were my "best of" selections. Clearly I've been a little distracted by all this Knicks basketball. I may have to break out the Timbs on State Street.

And next week is for the gamers.

Is E3 back? We've got a State of Play, Summer Game Fest, and an Xbox Showcase all landing around the same time. State of Play got a two-week advance announcement. What? Usually they give us about 72 hours' notice, not this.

Speculation is running wild.

Summer Game Fest has done a solid job filling the E3-sized hole in our hearts, but 2026 has been an exciting year for games and this feels like the place for some genuine AAA surprises.

Xbox also has new leadership, and CEO Asha Sharma is doing things that actually make me want to own an Xbox in 2026. Seriously, out of the big three, this is the showcase I'm looking forward to the most. What is happening to me in 2026?

Until next time.

5/17/26 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: Chuck Strangers ft. Obii Say “Everyday” Lex Records
Album of the Week: Dua Saleh “Of Earth & Wires" Ghostly International

Caroline Rose “Yip Yip Yow”
Genesis Owusu “BIG DOG”
Total Tommy “Pretty Little Mouth”
Yard Act “Redeemer”
Junior Varsity “Radio”
VACATIONS “Holy Grail”
Growing Pains “Swimming”
she’s green “paper thin”
Widowspeak “Soft Cover”
Deadbeat Beat “Heaven”
Rostam ft. Clairo “Hardy”
Dua Saleh ft. Bon Iver “Keep Away”
Candice Hoyes “Pink Clouds”
Chuck Strangers ft. Obii Say “Everyday”
Hovvdy “TRY TRY TRY”
Rebelution “Back In Time”
Michi x Mndsgn “Are You Lonesome”
Jump Source ft. BEA1991 “Endlessly”

hour 2

Overmono “Lockup”
Adam Ten & Dodi “We Are”
The Avalanche(ft. Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza & Prentiss) “Together”
Murex “Massacre”
Strange Lot “Nobody Seems to Do the Math”
Bb Trickz “Le le”
Brooklyn Funk Essentials “The Girl From Outer Space”
Pond “Through The Heather”
J Mascis “Formal Introduction”
Kevin Morby “Natural Disaster”
Alex Cameron “Red Hook Rain”
Aldous Harding “Worms”
NOFX “40 Years of Fuckin’ Up”

Made by AI

NOT ON SPOTIFY:
NOFX “40 Years of Fuckin’ Up”

So many exciting things going on and on top of that we got New Noize.

I debated even keeping this intro. Part of me wanted to just talk about music and keep it moving, but sometimes real life barges into the room before the records do.

Who cares about islamophobia?? I mean is it really an issue for everyday Americans? It's not. Recent town hall meetings in Orange County openly discussing how Islam is somehow “dangerous to American values” absolutely helped fuel the fire surrounding the recent attack at a mosque where two gunmen tried to “cleanse” the land of people like us. It's a reminder to all Muslims that we are not welcome but everything we bring to the table is. And somehow news outlets still struggle to call this what it is: terrorism. Instead we get “hate crime,” “act of violence,” “mentally ill,” yadda yadda meaaaaahhhhhh.

I’m Muslim. One of the few things about myself I genuinely value even if I’m absolutely terrible at it most of the time. Haram Hall of Fame levels at points. But Muslim nonetheless.

If I don't use my platform to speak on things then what kind of American would that make me? The reality for all Muslims in this country, regardless of if you are a devout pray 5 times a day Muslim, a Muslim who has renounced your own faith, or somewhere in between stay UP. Especially Muslims that are visible. Stay alert. Anyone can get caught but in 2026 we are under constant pressure.

Anyways…let’s get to the good stuff. The real reason you’re here standing in line outside the sonic food truck known as New Noize.

This past set was a total vibe, and that vibe had a serious "lean" to it. It for a lack of a better term was chill. Laid back like going down a midwest interstate highway that is straight, no turns for like 4 hours with blue skies, no wind and no one on the road. You could be going 100 MPH or 15 MPH and no one would care all while blasting New Noize.

Nothing captured that feeling better than the New Noize Album of the Week from Dua Saleh.

If yearning had a soundtrack, this would be it. Dua layers their vocals against themselves over these offset grooves and shape-shifting genre experiments that never fully settle into one thing. Bon Iver slides into the project perfectly too. I HIGHLY recommend listening front to back, in order. There’s a weird emotional magic to it that slowly leaks into your brain.

Or maybe that’s just me.

Strange Lot dropped a very vaporwave adjacent track “Nobody Seems to Do the Math”. You know what would also be nice? A whole new record maybe???

Following that, I finally got to play Bb Trickz on New Noize and honestly I’m still processing it. Also you KNOW I had to throw new The Avalanches into the mix. “Together” is proof we should just let The Avalanches do whatever the hell they want forever.

The New Noize Song of the Week goes to one of the most slept-on artists in the game: Chuck Strangers with “Everyday” featuring Obii Say.

Dude has been around for over a decade and should absolutely be a household name by now. Maybe he is and I’m just an indoor cat that doesn’t go outside enough. Possible.

Chuck, my guy, get at Lex Records and drop this record already because we ALL need this.

For now I got “Everyday” on repeat.

We here at New Noize also like to eat. And right now? We eating BIG at the movies.

Y’all already know I love concerts, but movie theaters need our help too. This week I’m probably hitting my local theater three times. Sure, our screens are trash compared to Oxnard, but there’s still something magical about sitting in a dark theater watching something ridiculous with strangers.

Obviously The Mandalorian and Grogu got bounty hunters back in motion. Mortal Kombat II has been out for a minute and somehow I STILL haven’t seen it. And of course Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe is out for a super limited run and you KNOW I’m there for interplanetary politics, giant mech wilding laser swords, and Newtype existential crises.

If you know, you know.

LETS GO KNICKS!!!!!

5/10/26 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: Griffin Brown "Begriffen" Spread Way Out
Album of the Week: Mike D “Switch Up” Interscope

MUNA “Girls Girl”
Charli xcx “Rock Music”
Bella Poarch “Ribcage”
Magi Merlin “So Smart”
Qendresa “Be the One”
nimino “Take My Space”
Peking Duk & Phantogram “Forever”
Prospa & Murda Beatz “Baby”
RAT BOY “BROKEN”
zzzahara “Speed Racer”
Cola “Third Double”
Basement “Sever”
sadie “All Right”
Sunforger “Weight”
Bye Parula “Orange Blossom (There’s a Million Reasons)”
King Ropes “Albertson’s Parking Lot”
Chinese American Bear “I Wanna Go Home (我想回家)”
The Womack Sisters “Chauffeur”

Hour 2

ear “Ne Plus Ultra”
Griffin Brown “nil”
RIP magic “Screwdark”
Seefeel “Everydays”
Heavee “Mainframe”
Mike D “Switch Up”
Josh da Costa “Proving Me Right”
Lykke Li “So Happy I Could Die”
Aldous Harding “Coats”
Allison Russell “Cold April (feat. Kara Jackson, Denitia, Explore! Pop Choir)”
Broken Social Scene “Hey Amanda”
Kurt Vile “Zoom 97”
Father John Misty “The Payoff”
Sparta “Everything You Say”

Made by AI

NOT ON SPOTIFY:
Bye Parula “Orange Blossom (There’s a Million Reasons)”

It’s been a week, friends and fellow heathens. When did May get here?

Somehow I got super lucky and made it into the Flight of the Conchords show at the SB Bowl this past Thursday. Big ups to a special human, you know who you are. I didn’t even know I was going until the day before, so my  stress levels were high. I’m a HUGE FOTC fan, and they did not disappoint even with a ton of technical issues.

As soon as they started, Jermaine’s Teenage Engineering OP–1 (or OP–XY? I forget which one) just died. No sound. He was visibly upset…which, of course, the crowd laughed at. Bret and Jermaine being the hilarious professionals they are made light of every hiccup (and there were a few) and kept things moving with all the classics and perfectly timed quips in between. They ended with “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros,” which felt like a weird closer but again, things were clearly a little chaotic behind the scenes. First "big" show of the tour will do that. But is there a tour? As of date of this write up they have only played 3 "big" concerts...

No issues over at the AVTT/PTTN show at Vina Robles Amphitheatre though. Their people hooked me up! A few rows back, dead center. WHAT. A. SHOW.

They’re touring their collab record, and I had no idea what to expect. Mike Patton with The Avett Brothers was not on my bingo card, but trust me it works. They ran through the entire record, jumping between Avett songs and Patton material, threw in some Faith No More, a Mr. Bungle moment, and even covered Easy by The Commodores.

And that venue? Vina Robles is NICE. Like SB Bowl nice. Outdoor, no sound ordinance something you notice immediately. Food was solid, drinks were elite, and if you’re in their wine club apparently there’s a whole secret society section I have not been invited to yet. If you’re in that club… hit me up. I have questions.

Only issue? I did not realize it was a two-hour drive. Shoutout to my +1 and KJEE coworker for driving his mom’s car. Thanks Everett's Mom.

Speaking of moms, I did a New Noize on Mother’s Day. Not my smoothest transition, but you’re not here for my famed prose. You’re here for the music.

It was another stellar week of new music drops and there was no shortage of awesome this past Sunday.

Charli has declared the dancefloor dead and is now making rock music and I want more. MORE.

zzzahara is really coming into their own with “Speed Racer.” LA native, been building this sound for a minute, and after hearing this I’ve got high hopes for whatever LP/EP is coming next.

Father John Misty dropped “The Payoff,” which he didn’t even play at his Ventura Majestic show back in March. Why Josh why?

Song of the Week goes to Mike D with “Switch Up.”

Seeing Mike D drop new music and get back out there performing is genuinely inspiring. You can feel that energy all over this track. It’s got that Beastie Boys Root Down era bounce & snaps you right into his world. Shit's dope sun.

A ton of new records worth your time; I’ll highlight four:

Chinese American Bear “Dim Sum & Then Some” is finally out. They dropped a bunch of singles leading up to it (yes, I played all of them), so I already knew I was in. And no surprise that I LOVE this record. It’s like eating ice cream for breakfast at 11AM on a hot May day in Harlem. Easy to get lost in.

Broken Social Scene is back with “Remember the Humans,” and it feels like a time capsule. There’s this weird emotional push-pull—like not caring about the future but still holding onto hope. Optimistic dread. Laughing through it. Or maybe just comfortably numb. I don’t even know if that makes sense, but it doesn’t have to. It just has to make you feel and it does.

Have you heard of Sunforger? Neither had I until this week. “Weight” is a strong record. They don’t ease you in, they just drop you into it and trust you’ll figure it out. That confidence is what pulls you in.

Album of the Week goes to Griffin Brown with Begriffen.

This record is different but has familiar reference points making this a truly enjoyable experience. Feels like a spaced-out mix of The Strokes and Animal Collective with autotuned vocals and glitchy, lo-fi experimentation. It zigzags. It shapeshifts. On “GT3,” it basically forgets what it was doing halfway through and becomes something else entirely. I love that.

There’s a chip-tune adjacent thing happening. You can hear the video game DNA in it. Fun sounds. Not taking itself too seriously. “nil” is a perfect example of that energy.

You can’t pin this album down to one thing, and that’s the point. It’s diverse, dynamic, and feels like a lost Game Boy Advance cartridge you just discovered in 2026.

Oh and I closed things out with new Sparta. You’re welcome.

I’m still looking for a job. Have been since August. Something’s gotta give soon because I’m getting tired of writing about it and I’m sure you’re tired of reading it. I am gonna have to go down a very cringe road, like Cassie from Euphoria sans the whole OF thing cause I am not a sexy white woman. Or am I? Let's see what this week brings. 

5/3/26 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: Vince Staples “Blackberry Marmalade”  Loma Vista/Concord
Album of the Week: The Claypool Lennon Delirium "The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy" ATO

Panda Bear & Sonic Boom "Graveyard"
The Claypool Lennon Delirium "Cliptopia"
Thurston Moore Bonner Kramer "THE THIRD MIGRATION"
Sea Moss Miscomings "Seacomings"
Myth Math "Deep Down"
Laura Cahen "Un jour (feat. Saint Saviour)'
Sub-T "Nokomis"
Weird Nightmare "Pay No Mind"
Ecce Shnak "Vincent"
DDK "My Lonely Room"
Love Spells "Crutch"
Chanel Beads "Song for the Messenger"
Kelsey Lu(ft. Sampha) "Better Than That"
Zoon "I Was Younger"
knitting "Here Comes"
KNEECAP "Smugglers & Scholars"

-hour 2-

Karsh Kale "Tabla Beat Scientist"
Zainab "HER EYES"
Ibibio Sound Machine "Return To Sender"
Laibach(feat. Wiyaala) "Allgorhythm"
E.VAX, Ratatat "When I'm Gone"
Vince Staples "Blackberry Marmalade"
David Byrne(feat. Natalia Lafourcade and Mexican Institute of Sound) "¿Cuál Es La Razón"
Mexican Institute of Sound & Meridian Brothers "Cumbia de los estudiantes"
Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert "Horses and Divorces"
The Black Keys "It’s A Dream"
Greg Mendez "No Evil"
Tori Amos "Gasoline Girls"
Bleachers "i'm not joking'
Pope "Make You Feel"
Young The Giant "Mona Lisa"
All Them Witches "The Welterweight"

NOT ON SPOTIFY:
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom "Graveyard"
Karsh Kale "Tabla Beat Scientist"

May the 4th be with you! Personally I am more of a Revenge of the 5th kinda guy.

Let’s talk collabs because apparently I went off without even trying. Five out of the first six tracks? Basically all collaborations. Completely unplanned:

• Panda Bear & Sonic Boom "Graveyard"- record store day exclusive collab

• The Claypool Lennon Delirium "Cliptopia"- the New Noize album of the week and a killer psych rock collab

• Thurston Moore Bonner Kramer "THE THIRD MIGRATION"- a collaborative project reflecting on the devastation in Palestine and pushing awareness forward

• Sea Moss Miscomings "Seacomings" a split record that blurs the line; one shared track (the one I played), then each side takes over.

• Myth Math "Deep Down"- Not a collab

• Laura Cahen(feat. Saint Saviour) "Un jour"- from her Side by Side EP, where every track pairs her with a different voice… literally side by side.

And that energy doesn’t stop there, the entire show is threaded with collaborations. Different worlds colliding, different voices meeting in the middle. That’s the whole spirit of New Noize anyway.

I am also here for Vince Staples latest track "Blackberry Marmalade", which also happens to be your New Noize song of the week.

Still holding out on Flight of the Conchords, they are rocking the party on Thursday here at the SBBowl. Saturday however I am locked in for Avett Brothers x Mike Patton at Vina Robles Amphitheatre, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST COLLABS OF LAST YEAR.