Janet Devlin’s new single, “Houston,” arrives as a gleeful contradiction, a two-stepping Americana anthem for the sovereign state of one. It has all the upbeat, country-rock fixings for a roadside sing-along, yet its heart is miles away, floating in a self-imposed, wonderfully stubborn vacuum. The track opens, and you’re ready for a communal good time; instead, you find yourself at a party where the...

The risk inside a good day gives Biernacki’s “Up & Down” its pulse. The Kraków songwriter and producer places a close vocal over piano, delicate percussion, bass and electronic detail, then lets the pressure collect rather than explode. This is polished alt-pop with a melancholic streak, built for the listener who knows that relief can sometimes make the mind start looking for the next thing...