With the release of the single "Play Me A Christmas Song", Stephen Dowd manages to bottle the very specific, blue-hued silence that falls over a living room once the wrapping paper has been cleared away. It is a curious thing, really, how a melody can act less like a sound wave and more like the smell of a candle that was blown out five...

Gracii, the newest precious stone to come out of the pulsating centre of New York City's music industry, is a formidable opponent that cannot be ignored. A new age of musical eclecticism is about to begin, and it will be ushered in by her mix of daring attitude, rich flair, and distinctive sound. Her lyrical cadence promises an experience that is comparable to that of...