Remy Smith’s "Short Ride Down" arrived not with a crash, but with the insistent hum of fluorescent lights in a waiting room you can’t quite leave. This slice of indie rock, edged with the introspection of folk, doesn't just sing about the Los Angeles hustle; it smells faintly of studio air conditioning and the specific anxiety of knowing your smile is part of the...

There is more to Rosina Buck's story than just music. There is also a story of change. She broke the silence with "Like a Lion," a song about an artist who turned her problems into wins and showed that making art can be the deepest form of revolt. She has turned her problems into victories. For six years, this tune has been being worked on. It's...