Listening to Violet Whimsey’s new EP, “PERSEPHONE,” is a bit like finding an antique music box that only plays minor chords. You wind it up, expecting a delicate tune, but what emerges is something far more shadowed, intricate, and possessed of a strange, chilling beauty. This is dark pop that doesn’t just brood; it excavates. https://open.spotify.com/album/0mrzzMpWVM7kKEWam6vTQP?si=D4ysByaOQCOEwElRdWm0Bg The collection is a descent, a guided tour through various...

The songs of Stephanie Phillips' music have a clear sense of connection to her. There is a sense of affinity in these songs as she talks about the ups and downs of life. Her style of music, which she calls "progressive folk," Stephanie writes songs that stay with you and make you feel intense emotions long after the last tune is played. Andrew Bird, Cat Stevens, and...