Episode 42: Erykah Badu's "Mama's Gun"

Gather ’round, sommeliers of the strange and crate-digging boogie children, for something “Strange! Frightening! Fascinating!” awaits. The soundtrack to Cannes 1973’s Jury Prize-winning film is a dazzling, surreal, avant-garde hymn to cosmic knowledge and compassion and a secret handshake among real heads. If you’re after a trip to a new dimension, here’s your one small step for man.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for daily listening recommendations, and check out more episodes at tunedig.com.

Marvin Gaye’s well of soul power ran mighty deep, and deep into his career, he pulled up a bucket of ice-cold, silky smooth champagne called “I Want You.” Come for the lush instrumentation, vocal harmonies, and Leon Ware clinic; stay for the stories.For our return from hiatus, we observe a titan in his element, reflect on the pain that built him into one, and consider how to reconcile our feelings when complicated messengers deliver beauty to our door.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at tunedig.com.

Before uniting one nation under a groove, the lysergic lords of chaos in Funkadelic harnessed wild lightning into an amulet called "Maggot Brain", bestowing the bearer with raw, dark power stronger than any force known to man. Between reaching our 50th episode and coping with the “maggots in the mind” of today’s universe, it felt like the right time to free our minds. We hope y’all’s asses will follow.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

The story of Alice Coltrane — an accomplished bebop pianist from Detroit who transcended into something far greater before walking away from public life altogether — is a glimpse into what it means to be truly free. Alice’s masterpiece Journey in Satchidananda is a cosmic dance that sparked creation from destruction. And in a time when we’re all desperately searching for a spark of meaning and hope, Journey abides abundantly.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

Take a moment to appreciate Ann and Nancy Wilson, who kicked down the doors of rock ‘n’ roll’s boys’ club with their peerless guitar work, soaring soul vocals, and tight songcraft. 1977’s Little Queen — an oft-overlooked gem in the classic rock canon — offers a snapshot of those elements at their most urgent and pure, powered by the Wilsons’ simple motivation (as described by their producer): “It was a war.”Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

When you think of “electronic music,” what comes to mind may not be a genre you deeply love — hip-hop, house, new wave, or even dub reggae — but all of it owes some debt, scientifically or otherwise, to Tangerine Dream. Dig in with us as we study a prime example of the band’s brand of effortful innovation, where they patiently and persistently labored at the cutting edge of electronic technology to open a portal to new worlds in our minds.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

Did you catch one of 2021’s biggest albums, or like us, did you almost overlook it? If you have any expectations of pop music, "SOUR" will likely subvert them. Teenage dream this is not; it’s an exquisitely universal portrait of a weird time to be alive.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

The story of Fela Kuti — one of the most famous people on an *entire continent* passionately struggling to liberate power to more people — is absolutely one worth deeply knowing, regardless of whether you find yourself drawn to Afrobeat or (cringe) “world music.” But once you know it, it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with Fela and Afrika 70 as their revolutionary grooves rewire your brain in magical and meaningful ways.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

Meshuggah’s "ObZen"—an artifact of human creativity pushing the limits of what’s possible—will quite literally make you hear music differently. If you’re looking for a new musical adventure, and especially if you don’t think you like “heavy” or “weird” music, consider this your sign to push past your comfort zone.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.

A misunderstood wise man once said “Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds.” In our most personal and vulnerable episode yet, we do some seeking through the lens of songs that fill us with the bravery and sincerity to love ourselves and others fully. Dig deep with us as we fish for words about our tiny place in the universe and dance with gratitude for our ability to do so.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@tunedig) for more info about the songs that didn't make the episode. Check out more episodes at https://tunedig.com.