Detroit’s Mike Chek, a subterranean staple who quietly pens chart-topping R&B hits on the side, leans completely into the emotional fallout of ambition on his new single "Alright", featuring guest artist TMI 215. https://open.spotify.com/track/3l7HsXZuLdXn3LFmVnSqHl?si=9835f9f41db44d8b It operates in the heavy air of an aimless 3 AM drive. You immediately catch a melancholic, plucked string loop that circles your head, setting an undeniably tired but resolute mood. Soon,...

Bolidde's new album, Rainbow Galaxy, doesn't so much arrive as it does seep into the room, a ten-track document of flight powered by rock and roll muscle. Here is a veteran of the French scene who understands the architecture of a great pop hook, but who uses that knowledge not to build a summer villa, but a high-speed getaway vehicle. The album’s energy is...