Miedjia emerges not only as a star but more as a supernova in the expansive musical universe. Miedjia is one of those rare individuals who not only writes, composes, and performs, but also dabbles in sound engineering. Other people may wear one or more of these hats. Because he is the creative director behind his trade, each note and phrase is infused with a purposeful goal,...

Sam Ostler’s new single, “Lights,” then. It unfolds less like a sudden, intrusive glare and more like the slow, determined burn of a really good stage light finally finding its mark after a prolonged blackout. It’s pop, yes, vibrant and undeniably contemporary as advertised – clean lines, clear intentions. Yet, there’s a certain satisfying heft beneath the melodic uplift, a feeling that these notes...