Darkness can leave room for a joke, and heavy music can still move. On "Rustbelt Rejects", Akron artist Zmack puts that relationship to work through abrasive textures, grooves and odd humour. His original album brings hip-hop into contact with Memphis trap, Horrorcore, industrial, funk-metal and phonk. Yet the aim is not genre display. The range accommodates memory, loss, anger, pride, relationships and Irish-American identity. It gives...

Music has always been a powerful vehicle for challenging ideas, and "Colonization," by BodaciousThang featuring Don Tomas, leans into that tradition with striking confidence. Wrapped in hypnotic rhythms and undeniable charisma, the track delivers an experience that's as captivating on the dance floor as it is thought-provoking beneath the surface. Her song comes through bold imagery and layered songwriting, using its infectious energy to examine themes...