Listening to Amara Fe’s new album, "SHIFT," is a bit like finding a perfectly preserved suit of medieval armor that’s been custom-tailored by a high-fashion house. It is formidable, gleaming, and entirely without apology. Across the sprawling landscape of its 24 tracks, Fe builds a monument to self-belief so solid it could probably withstand a siege. There is no room for doubt in this...

Lincoln’s Future Theory have distilled a uniquely modern affliction into their new single, "Reality Buzz." It’s the specific sound of a cheap energy drink fizzing next to an overdue bill. A nervous, propulsive energy runs through the track, a driving alt-rock current that feels like trying to walk in a straight line while the world tilts on its axis. The guitars, steeped in a...