You hit play, and immediately, the atmosphere shifts. Boey does not waste time easing you into his new album, "The False Prince". The Ipoh-born, UK-based singer-songwriter grabs your attention by doing the exact opposite of what you expect. Instead of loud, aggressive anthems about the state of society, he offers a masterclass in quiet intensity. This 13-track record is a bold, beautiful exploration of modern...

Adriana Spuria’s new single, “Stone,” presents itself with the polished feel of a perfect skipping-stone, but listening closely reveals it has the curious weight of a fossil in your palm. Spuria sings of a very specific, modern affliction: the slow petrification of the heart. This is a loneliness born not from solitude, but from an inability to feel for anyone else, an insulation that...