When d'Z & Bernadette Dengler (featuring Chris Korzec) unleashed "Shout!", it hit me less like a typical single and more like a sudden, necessary nervous system reset. The track, a collaboration spanning the Netherlands and Austria, carries the dense, sophisticated DNA of Steely Dan but decides to wear it to a raucous block party hosted by The Brand New Heavies. https://open.spotify.com/album/58VJ9SBgyY7Mr1vHP69juG?si=gnsjycqTRkKz57cAMDwRwg d'Z anchors the vessel with...

HollyBear does not sound heartbroken on "OBVIOUS". She sounds like she already checked the receipts, closed the app, fixed her hair, and decided the lesson was expensive but useful. That is the fun of the single. It has the warmth of R&B, the cool posture of jazz influence, and the tiny side-eye of someone who knows exactly what happened. "OBVIOUS" moves with a smile that...