Darkness can leave room for a joke, and heavy music can still move. On "Rustbelt Rejects", Akron artist Zmack puts that relationship to work through abrasive textures, grooves and odd humour. His original album brings hip-hop into contact with Memphis trap, Horrorcore, industrial, funk-metal and phonk. Yet the aim is not genre display. The range accommodates memory, loss, anger, pride, relationships and Irish-American identity. It gives...

From penning lyrics on a pizza box at 15 to crafting hits in the studio, Dylan Dixon’s musical odyssey has been nothing short of remarkable. This South-West London native, who grew up immersed in the sounds of American hip-hop maestros like Jay Z and Kanye West, as well as UK legends like CHIP and Kano, has seamlessly blended these influences to shape a sound distinctly...