The latest from Jacob and the Starry Eyed Shadows, “Racing on the Back Straight,” performs a fantastic trick: it dresses up a full-blown existential crisis in its summer best and sends it to the beach. This Glasgow solo architect, Jacob, has constructed a Trojan horse of a track, all propulsive indie rock guitars and a pop-punk chorus so immediate it feels like you’ve known...

The South African artist Anacy turns betrayal into a fast-moving cinematic pop release packed with bite, motion, and a hard-earned sense of self. 'Good Luck To Her' hits like the moment you stop typing the long message, delete every word, and choose yourself instead. Anacy does not tiptoe around the mess here. The South African artist walks into the wreckage of a broken relationship with...