Sometimes you hit play on a track and it immediately forces you to stop whatever you are doing. That is exactly what happens with the latest release 'Fairytale Lullaby' from a rising star Ka Youn Yoo in the contemporary classical scene. It is not loud, it is not aggressive, but it commands your attention with a quiet intensity that is impossible to ignore. The vibe...

The fastest pop songs arrive like a notification. Ben Lester’s self-titled debut does something more interesting: it lets the listener wait for the message to finish forming. Across 13 tracks for Mayfield Records, the London singer, songwriter, performer and producer turns patience into part of the pleasure. The result is indie pop with an arranger’s discipline, a record built for people who like a chorus but...