Chris Oledude presents "White Lie: Carolyn's Story", a single that initially feels like slipping into a warm bath before you realize the water is slowly turning to ice. If you let your attention drift, the track masquerades perfectly as a vintage soft rock ballad or a slice of polished, satirical blue-eyed soul. There is a bouncing low-end pulse and shimmering, glossy high notes that...

There’s a curious sort of old-soul gravity to Amelina’s single, “Step by Step,” one that defies the pop-rock sheen and the artist’s young age. The track opens with a resolute, almost stern, string and piano line that feels less like an invitation to a party and more like the sound of someone tying their shoelaces before a long journey. This is the sound of...