Listening to the new DaLomonze EP, "Picture Day," is a study in deceptive portraiture. You’re told it’s about capturing a moment, a fixed smile for the world, documenting personal growth. The Cleveland artist’s vocals are certainly grand enough for a milestone, full-bodied and cinematic, with an orchestral sweep that feels both holy and expensive. But something is hiding in the gorgeous frame. It’s not...

“Lavender” hits like a velvet curtain being pulled back at the exact second everyone stops pretending. Jay Saint James does not chase a basic pop moment here. The Ayr, Scotland singer-songwriter, also known through official channels as J Saint James, walks into old Hollywood’s private corridors and comes out with a record that feels glossy, bruised, and strangely intimate. “Lavender” is an original single with a...