Casey McQuillen’s single “Better” arrives not with a bang, but with the quiet, decisive click of a well-made lock securing a door. It’s pop music, certainly, groomed and gleaming, yet beneath the surface bubbles a fierce kind of self-possession that’s less about demanding attention and more about curating who gets past the velvet rope of your own contentment. Coming from someone known for empowerment...

The unique fusion of 808 beats, electronic features and traditional instruments is helping a Los Angeles-based band Love Ghost to carve out their niche. Love Ghost, led by Finnegan Bell and aided by talents such as Cory Batchler, Daniel Alcala, and Daniel Gallardo is revolutionizing the already vibrant genre. The band had a crucial year in 2022, they were chosen as one of eight bands who...