Bennett Purser

“New Wave” is a documentary about Vietnamese refugees leaning into Eurodisco as they built new lives in SoCal after the fall of Saigon. It also speaks to generational trauma and grief.

The Soweto Gospel Choir of South Africa’s latest album reimagines popular dance tracks of the last 50 years. Some of the lyrics are in Zulu, and traditional house beats are subbed for African rhythms.

Riverside native Ivan Cornejo fuses folk and rock with regional Mexican music. The 20-year-old’s first arena tour starts on August 23.

The cookbook “Kismet” features family recipes and favorites from the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurants owned by Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson.

The Flaming Lips’ “The Soft Bulletin” is 25 years old. Critics have called it a rock masterpiece for the trippy experimental sounds and big, sweeping orchestral pieces.

KCRW DJ Ro Wyldeflower Contreras recommends new songs from Chicano Batman, Reyna Tropical, Baby Rose, Brainstory, and Hiatus Kaiyote.

Critics review the latest film releases: “La Bête,” “Monkey Man,” “Girls State,” and “Música.”

Beyoncé topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with a single from “Cowboy Carter,” but the album has drawn backlash over who’s qualified to make country music.

In “Problemista,” a Salvadoran immigrant longs to become a toy designer when he arrives in New York. The challenges of getting a U.S. work visa threaten his dreams.

The world of 1970s Laurel Canyon is on full display in Ginny Winn’s book, “Grievous Angels, Trout Masks, and American Beauties: 1970s Rock & Roll Photography of Ginny Winn.”