Maverick Smith’s “We Make Fire, They Make Smoke” lands not with a thud, but with the distinct, satisfying crackle of something catching alight. It’s a title that carries the grit of the Ohio Valley in its consonants, a resolute statement from a band – Paige Bosic on commanding vocals and rhythm guitar, Sean Boynes sculpting soundscapes on guitar, Jim Courtney’s intricate drumming, Charlie Kovach’s...

The musical environment is always shifting, and fusion has become the dominant style as a result. Milliarn, the brilliant light that is rising progressively higher on the horizon of contemporary music, is now the only one who can play it better than anybody else. His most recent single, "Famous," is more than simply a song; rather, it is a vibrant tapestry of Afrobeats and Caribbean...