Dylan Forshner's new EP, “Hopeless Optimism,” presents itself not so much as a collection of songs but as a series of candid diary entries set to intricately picked acoustic strings. This five-song journey from the Welland, Canada artist begins in a place of palpable internal wrestling, where the lyrics – and Forshner’s delivery – map out the grim territories of being overwhelmed, using substances...

Nishy, whose family tree stretches across many countries, infuses alternative R&B and pop music with a distinctively global flavour. She makes the most of the opportunities presented by her varied background to create a sonically complex tapestry that resists easy categorization. Memories From A Vinyl, her first album, is an amazing maiden release that echoes the eclectic mix of her French, Mauritian, and Indian background via...