Iona Griffey, a vocalist based in the United Kingdom, has always been committed to providing her listeners with exactly the music they want. With her latest offering, she expands on her previous work in significant ways. Her new album, titled "Lovers & Strangers," features the tune "Hero," which is a showcase of her extraordinary abilities. Iona is an exception in the world of modern electronic pop;...

Seishin Takeno's "Echoes," a sonic postcard from Kanagawa. Nine instrumental pieces, I've been told. Not nine songs, mind you – more like nine shaded windows into a particular kind of quiet. This isn't music that yells; it leans in, like a friend confiding a secret you half-hear on a summer porch. Immediately, you're not so much listening as remembering. Or maybe anticipating. It feels...