Have you ever felt a strange sense of nostalgia for a time you never lived in? Like a phantom limb for a past that isn’t yours. It’s a peculiar sensation, that anachronistic ache. Listening to “Lost,” the debut album from Dallas artist Jake Vera, evokes a similar feeling. It’s a record built with the tools of the 21st century, a collaboration forged in the crucible of...

XRick SaenzX, an emerging voice from the vibrant Los Angeles hip-hop scene, seems to understand this primal urge that sometimes, a song just wants to have a good time. His latest single, "Kickback," featuring fellow artist Out The Way (OTW), arrives with the straightforward intention of being a "party song." Yet, like any good get-together, there’s often more happening beneath the surface chatter and booming...