There is something deliciously conspiratorial about Hidden Shores and the release of the "Neon Silence" EP. I find myself picturing the artist wiping chalk dust off their hands after a day of teaching elementary schoolers, only to go home, dim the lights, and converse with algorithms. It’s not your typical moonlighting gig; while most are decompressing with reality TV, Hidden Shores is out there...

Shane Revers opens the heavy door to "Inside Room 17", and you immediately realize you are stepping into an incredibly private emotional space. This debut EP builds its architecture entirely out of heavy memories and the agonizing passage of time. He notes influences like the Jonas Brothers, John Mayer, and James Bay, yet he manages to spin these stripped-down acoustic pop inspirations into a...