EP.13 April 7, 2025.
Dive into Raul and Triana's curation of songs from TOKiMONSTA,Blusher, Neal Francis and more ...
episode 4 with JOY 94.9 Radio
LA based DJ and KCRW radio presenter Raul Campos is joined by Triana Butler (she/they) who is a Radio Trainer at JOY Academy and JOY 94.9 Presenter/Producer of The Sound of Now in the fourth of five episodes of Sonic Dialog.
Celebrating local music in their respective countries Raul and Triana, share music from US and Australia, in this this fourth episode, sharing songs from Blusher, Shak Jackson Remix - LP Giobbi, Rum Jungle, Neal Francis, Miami Horror and Telenova and TOKiMONSTA.
LISTEN BACK TO THE FULL EPISODE OVER AT: joy.org.au/thesoundofnow/2025/04/07/tracklist-7-apr-2025/
About Joy Media: As Australia’s not-for-profit LGBTIQA+ media organisation, JOY Media represents the people, stories, news, music, and lived experiences of Australia’s LGBTIQA+ community and our allies. From our on-air presenters, to support teams, producers, newsreaders, podcasters and everyone in-between Joy aim to represent their listeners. You can hear and see stories from the LGBTIQA+ community and our allies on JOY 94.9 Radio (FM and DAB+), online at joy.org.au via livestream, in podcasts, YouTube channel and on social media.
About KCRW: KCRW belong to Los Angeles, connecting diverse perspectives and the sounds of Southern California with curious communities around the corner and around the world. They are NPR’s flagship member station in Southern California and a community service of Santa Monica College.
Blusher
Self-professed as making “hot girl pop”, Blusher are a refreshing new Melbourne-based 3-piece redefining and subverting the traditional girl group dynamic.
Made up of friends Jade, Lauren, and Miranda, Blusher considers themselves to all be the “Beyoncé” of their group. Each taking on multifaceted roles of producers, singer-songwriters, and multi-instrumentalists, as Blusher the girls swap a lead front woman role for a balanced dynamic prioritising equality and empowerment - uplifting one another to shine equally with sisterhood solidarity as their biggest strength in a male-dominated industry.
While honouring the fundamental elements of great influential girl groups like Destiny’s Child, Spice Girls, and Haim, Blusher are set out to prove that women in music don’t have to be just one thing, or succumb to the stereotypical expectations and boxes that society places them in.
Shak Jackson Remix - LP Giobbi
For each of the last several years, DJ, producer, jazz-trained pianist, and activist LP Giobbi has spent 300 days on the road, jet-setting between massive festival stages, crowded club floors, board meetings, and cutting-edge studios.
A remix powerhouse known for re-imaginings of her beloved Grateful Dead and a song builder with unerring senses of momentum and melody, LP Giobbi’s new album Dotr (out Oct 18th) is the follow up to her debut, 2023’s Light Places, the album that earned her the title of DJ Mag’s Producer of the Year and one of NPR’s Favorite New Musicians of 2023.
Shak Jackson
Shak's House music productions are a tribute to the vibrant grooves, soulful vocals, and infectious energy of the 90's House era. Blending classic elements with modern synths and a love of breakbeat, Shak is creating tracks that resonate with both long-time aficionados and new-age enthusiasts. Her sound is characterised by deep basslines and captivating hooks.
As an independent producer, Shak prides herself on her creative freedom and authentic expression.
Rum Jungle
Hailing from the coastal alleyways of a steel city, Rum Jungle brings you gritty alt-rock anthems, heartfelt ballads, and everything in between - songs that capture a magnetic, introspective, and hyper-reflective state of mind.
With pop melodies, psychedelic guitars, and chilled groove beats, their sound delivers a sweet and loveable vibe—like cracks in the share house walls that the homeowners don’t mind because the party’s just too good. The lads have quickly built a global fanbase, leading to sold-out shows across the UK, Europe, and Australia. They’ve showcased their surf-rock-alt-pop mastery at The Great Escape, Reeperbahn, and SXSW (Sydney).
Neal Francis
Neal Francis’ music is an intoxicating blend of funk, soul, and rock that evokes the glory days of the 60s and 70s but is undeniably fresh.
“Creating art is always going to be a challenge, which maybe goes back to why AI-created music is never going to be all that compelling—it’s just too fucking easy. The best I can do is use what’s at my disposal and try not to freak out or despair when it gets difficult, and hopefully end up making something that gives people joy.” - Neal Francis
Say She She, the soulful female-led group, stand rock solid on their disco-delic duty. Described as “a glorious overload of joyful elation and spiritual elevation” (MOJO) and “infused with the wonky post-disco spirit of early 80s NYC” (The Guardian), the band consistently tops the radio charts of tastemaker stations KCRW and KEXP, as well as BBC’s Radio 6 Music. Sold out shows from London to Los Angeles and televised appearances on CBS Saturday and Later…with Jools Holland are a testament to a rapidly growing fan base. Say She She has toured with the likes of Thee Sacred Souls, and have already played iconic festivals like Glastonbury, Central Park Summerstage, and more.
Ultimately, Silver oozes with quirk and adventure and embraces the multifaceted nature of what it means to be a modern femme. Say She She fully embrace their role as beauticians, actively reminding people of the inherent beauty in the world. They skillfully employ double entendres and humor to encourage open dialogue and fearlessly address important matters that demand attention.
Miami Horror and Telenova
Founded by Benjamin Plant, Miami Horror extracts ethereal melodies from down-tempo funky struts, glossy electronics, and luminous synth pop.
Miami Horror has generated a staggering 200M +combined streams with a catalog highlighted by anthems such 'I Look To You (feat. Kimbra),' 'Real Slow (feat. Sarah Chernoff),' and standout singles from the debut album 'Holidays (feat. Alan Palomo)' and 'Sometimes'.
They’ve graced the stages of festivals such as Coachella, Governors Ball, Electric Forest, Splendour in the Grass, Beyond the Valley, Just Like Heaven, Funka Fest in Ecuador, and Corona Capital Festival in Mexico.
Telenova first introduced the world to their vivid aesthetic and pop smarts via debut EP Tranquilize. Anchored by cult hit ‘Bones’ (triple j’s 2021 Hottest 100 #91) and garnering major media support across the world (BBC Radio 1, Apple Music One, NME, Vogue Paris), Telenova quickly found a passionate, growing audience with their rich brand of pop and surreal visuals, all driven by enigmatic frontwoman Angeline Armstrong and multi-instrumentalists Edward Quinn & Joshua Moriarty.
TOKiMONSTA
Grammy-nominated producer TOKiMONSTA has charted a fascinating career over the past decade.
She is one of the most revered music producers and one of the pioneers of the seminal 2010 era 'L.A. Beat Scene.'
As a world-class performer, she ranks as one of the Top 100 DJs worldwide (DJ Mag) and has performed at nearly every major festival worldwide.