KCRW's Jason Bentley to Take Over Morning Becomes Eclectic Feifdom

Longtime KCRW nighttime DJ Jason Bentley is gonna have to adjust his sleep schedule, as he'll be taking over for Nic Harcourt as the new host of the station's Morning Becomes Eclectic program. The show, which runs from 9 to noon weekdays, is one of the most visible and influential slots in the country.

It'll definitely be a change for the station, though it's a pretty safe one. Harcourt traded in middle-of-the-road adult alternative, seldom surprising but nevertheless entertaining. Bentley comes from a more beat-based than song-based background, having co-founded Quango Records in the 1990s, working A&R for Madonna's Maverick Records imprint and becoming a noted remixer. His nighttime show on KCRW features a nice mix of rhythms and textures, trading in that typically LA house and techno vibe that's gentle on the eardrum but warm on the heart. It's music that you'll no doubt hear at swank, high-end hotel lobbies across the globe.

To give you an idea of where Bentley is likely to take the show, his recent "picks of the month" for KCRW's website include the new Friendly Fires release on Rough Trade (rhythm-based post-punk), the new Verve CD, the Brazilian Girls, Thievery Corporation, CSS and U.N.K.L.E. Like his predecessor, Bentley's is a very specific aesthetic. If at times it's a little smooth for our taste, it's always nice to hear beats and texture in the morning. But no doubt many listeners will have to adjust their ears to dig the tones.

No word yet on who'll take Bentley's nighttime slot.

Here's the new Thievery Corporation video for "Sweet Tides." Get used to it.