There's an intimacy to the new FREE/MAN release, "The Reconnection EP," that borders on a welcome invasion of personal space. It is the sonic equivalent of someone leaning in, not to share a secret, but to create the silence where your own might finally surface. Charlie Freeman hasn't built a grand cathedral of sound here; he's simply furnished a quiet room with stark, necessary...

Especially in today's music scene, which is always changing, not many singers can capture the mood as well as Joe Lington. Lington makes music that ties together the complicated lines of American R&B stars like Sisqo and Keith Sweat. He does this from the lively streets of Ireland to the world stage. Lington is not only a singer, but also a link between different countries...