The fiercely independent, Idaho-raised rapper nick! channels a deeply overstimulated, restless frequency on his new EP, "GEEKED!". Born in 2006 and building a fervent following entirely without industry co-signs, he occupies an interesting lane in new-wave underground hip-hop. His music sounds precisely like the brain chemistry of an internet-raised creative processing the blinding speed of newfound success. He writes and produces melodic, hard-hitting rap...

To take on a song so woven into the cultural fabric requires a certain nerve, but Annika Bellamy’s new single, a remake of "Come and Get Your Love," feels less like a cover and more like an inheritance. With her uncle, T-Bone Bellamy, having been the lightning-rod guitarist for Redbone, and founding member Pat Vegas sanctioning this version, the track arrives with a heavy,...