Who else can say they’ve struck gold here in the Interior of Alaska? As a gold panner, born and raised in the golden state, I am here to share my techniques of finding those diamonds in the coal.
Sometimes you need to take a step back and enjoy the simple things in life. “Tamarack” is the newest album from the folk ensemble Kalos, and at first glance might seem like a simple collection of folk tunes, but when you actually sit with it, and listen, you’ll find that “Tamarack” is rich with cultural history, and complex ideas.
“Resistance shouldn’t be solemn, but celebrated,” declares artist Mon Rovîa. This sentiment encompasses what he does best with his music: framing resistance as a source of hope, unity, and collective empowerment, rather than something worthy of fear or pity. With the refrain, “no they never gonna keep us all down,” he highlights the idea of shared resilience and strength of communal action.
Pa La Raza = For The People. Pa La Raza is a compilation album released back in late September, primarily featuring Latine and Indigenous musicians from Los Angeles, ranging from noise music to punk to soothing synthpop.
On March 13th of this year I was lucky enough to catch Spring Break festivities at Alyeska ski resort in Girdwood at the Sitzmark. It was the last night of Town League, characterized by 7 weeks of training with 1 modified super g race each week. It was not overcrowded and the bands were accented by neon ceiling art with black light and bay windows facing skiers in myriad positions as they attempted to slow themselves to a stop at the deck.
When I took a visit to UAF in the summer of 2024 I saw the radio office and knew that I wanted to be a part of it. I do my best to listen to a wide range of music, explore different popular artists catalogs, and try to keep up with what albums have been trending recently so I knew that I wanted to be a part of sharing music to people.
If you’ve been listening to KSUA over the past two months, chances are you may have heard the recently released Communal Heart album by The Sean Imboden Large Ensemble play on our automation system or on one of Saturday Morning Jazz’s broadcasts. The Sean Imboden Large Ensemble, led by the eponymous saxophonist and composer Sean Imboden, is a 17-piece ensemble based in Indianapolis. Here at KSUA, staff member Moody Pierce was lucky enough to interview Mr. Imboden, and inquired about his history with music and the creation of Communal Heart.
The Midnight Sun is shining a bright light on what’s to come this summer in the Golden Heart City. Recently, long-standing community event centers — beloved by the “golden generation” for over six decades — have been at the heart of major discussions. Joy Community Center and Mary Siah Recreation Center both faced potential closure, as proposed by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly. Even the Carlson Center narrowly avoided the same fate. Thankfully, the summer of 2025 is still shaping up to be packed with memorable activities for residents and visitors alike.
The act of sharing music is a unique experience. Music elicits emotions, motivates fun and dancing, and connects people. To foster the sharing of music, we held two collaborations at KSUA this Spring. This included guest appearances by each other on Julia’s Cheese on Air show and Evan’s Cover to Cover show.
KSUA is always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested in being a volunteer check out our Be A DJ page to learn how to get involved.
Here’s to five years, hundreds of shows, wonderful friendships, one actual ASMR episode, and whatever ridiculous adventures come next.