The fastest pop songs arrive like a notification. Ben Lester’s self-titled debut does something more interesting: it lets the listener wait for the message to finish forming. Across 13 tracks for Mayfield Records, the London singer, songwriter, performer and producer turns patience into part of the pleasure. The result is indie pop with an arranger’s discipline, a record built for people who like a chorus but...

Shrouded Day, the brainchild of Omaha-based flutist and keyboardist Dan M., returns with the 15th Anniversary Edition of "Legend of the Shadow-Touched." An album, and a hefty one at that, boasting 17 instrumental tracks that promise—and largely deliver—a journey into the slightly peculiar intersection of Tangerine Dream and...Jethro Tull? https://open.spotify.com/album/2NcQYI1T9FolykjnzQ8fh2?si=vluXdPMlQf-tuRO6WCw63g The core of "Legend of the Shadow-Touched" revolves around themes of alienation and personal growth. But...