Move forward Joe Lington has the most modern R&B sound and is Cork's own musical gem. It's just as interesting to read about Lington's quick rise in the R&B scene around the world as it is to listen to his music, which is based on the emotional rhythms of the lively streets of Cork. As the saying goes, all artistic projects have to start somewhere....

The first listen of Haus of Sound’s new single, “Mirage,” is like walking into a room where a beautifully ornate vase has just been shattered against a wall. There's a jagged, crystalline energy here, a collision of theatrical drama and raw, modern discontent. Evolving from their 2000s tribute roots, the Everett band has synthesized the best of that era’s angst—the coiled tension of early...