Dryadic opens the door on their new single "Ghosts," and you immediately feel a change in the room’s pressure. The piano chords that introduce the piece, played by frontwoman Zora McDonald, don’t twinkle; they place stones, one by one, creating a path through a grey landscape. Her voice follows, not as a guide trying to cheer you on, but as a determined companion walking...

The album title of Baba Kuboye's most recent record is "Cultural Canvas," and it's an extravagant blend of songs and stories that honour his rich African history. The picture in question is concealed away deep inside the album's rhythmic heart. There is no refuting Baba's abilities because he was born into a singing family. His parents, jazz greats Fran and Tunde Kuboye, and his uncle,...