Listening to Arnold J.’s new single, "Muddy Waters," isn't quite like anything else swirling around right now. It arrives with the gentle insistence of incoming tide, pulling you into its specific gravity. Arnold J., Ghanaian-born and now Canada-based, weaves a sound tagged as alt-country and folk, but those labels feel thin, like trying to contain smoke. There’s earthiness, sure, but his soulful vocal lines...

The "Nice To Meet You" EP by Shane Rennison is his most current indie-pop work, and it sounds like something you know. Each page depicts the sights and smells of the Catskill Mountains, a place that has left its mark on Rennison's heart. This artist from the Catskills makes his sound while also channelling the honed elegance of The 1975, the exciting vibes of Passion Pit, and...