"Mase J: Derby's Storm in a Rhyme Vesse Mase J has carved out a niche for himself as Derby's most recognised alternative rap musician, despite the city's rich musical history. His music is as unabashedly distinct as it is appealing, embodying the spirit of a maverick and the force of a roiling storm. Mase J has continued the popularity of his early releases after receiving high marks...

Shawn Brown’s EP, "Into the Furious Light," doesn’t slip quietly into the stream of modern indie-folk releases; it instead cups its hands around your soul like you’re a candle in danger of flickering out. The Portland troubadour crafts songs that feel like fragments of conversations—maybe ones you walked in on too late or letters unsent to someone dear but no longer near. You’re never...