Authenticity in music is a rare currency. In a time of polished productions and carefully constructed personas, an album like Lisa Jo's "Hood Rats" feels like a jolt of unfiltered reality. It is a record born not in a boardroom, but in the crucible of personal tragedy and immense resilience. The result is a collection of songs that are as raw and uncompromising as the life...

Nishy, whose family tree stretches across many countries, infuses alternative R&B and pop music with a distinctively global flavour. She makes the most of the opportunities presented by her varied background to create a sonically complex tapestry that resists easy categorization. Memories From A Vinyl, her first album, is an amazing maiden release that echoes the eclectic mix of her French, Mauritian, and Indian background via...