Ava Valianti represents something increasingly rare in contemporary music: genuine precocity without artifice. This Massachusetts artist, who is only fifteen years old, handles general themes with a level of emotional depth that is shocking. She shows that youth can bring out the best in complicated human experiences, rather than hiding them. "Distant," her sixth single, functions as a sonic archaeology of friendship's dissolution. The track excavates layers...

The Sydney-based band Sundryver blends nostalgia and modernity in a whirlwind of sound and sentiment, placing their unique signature on the indie rock scene. With a sound that combines the grunge-infused alternative of early Foo Fighters and the melodic rock of Arctic Monkeys with the aggressive intensity of Deftones, the young Sydney band Sundryver has taken flight, as if driven by the creative muses themselves. Their...