We have heard a lot of love songs, but this one has a distinct vibe—something you will hear for yourself after you listen to it. An exciting fusion of rhythmic African rhythms and soulful vocals, Kurtys's new single "Joha" narrates a love story with a significant woman. The songs are Afrobeat and R&B. Afrobeat components combined with catchy grooves give the song depth of feeling, and...

Seishin Takeno's "Echoes," a sonic postcard from Kanagawa. Nine instrumental pieces, I've been told. Not nine songs, mind you – more like nine shaded windows into a particular kind of quiet. This isn't music that yells; it leans in, like a friend confiding a secret you half-hear on a summer porch. Immediately, you're not so much listening as remembering. Or maybe anticipating. It feels...