Okay, let's pretend the universe coughed up "All the Christmas Lights." Not literally, of course, though I did find a sparkly rock in my pocket this morning – probably unrelated. This single by Eric Harmsen, straight outta Alpine, manages to feel both like a familiar, cozy sweater and a strangely uncharted territory. https://open.spotify.com/album/422cieMEcXDGkGRXvKa058 The music… it’s less jingle bell rock and more like a snow globe...

In the world of hip-hop, there is a continual ebb and flow of new talent, but every once in a while, a performance will come along that will seem like a revelation. The very talented Eyst and Mac Keller form one half of the dynamic duo known as Apolloïd, which is based in Neuilly-sur-Marne and hails from France. It's like witnessing lightning in a bottle when...