Listening to Arnold J.’s new single, "Muddy Waters," isn't quite like anything else swirling around right now. It arrives with the gentle insistence of incoming tide, pulling you into its specific gravity. Arnold J., Ghanaian-born and now Canada-based, weaves a sound tagged as alt-country and folk, but those labels feel thin, like trying to contain smoke. There’s earthiness, sure, but his soulful vocal lines...

Irie Keef, a vibrant new voice in the Afro-Caribbean music scene, has made an electrifying debut, fusing the energy of major music festivals from Miami to Jamaica into a unique auditory experience. Working closely with Dominican artist Nelly Stharre, Keef’s music ebbs and flows with the rhythm of the three languages she seamlessly blends French, Creole, and English. Drawing inspiration from the inimitable Staniski, Keef presents...