There is a specific kind of melodic stride in Lana Crow’s new release, “Orwellian Times,” that reminds me, quite vividly, of the way people walk when they’re late for a meeting they know is going to be an absolute disaster. It is brisk, purposeful, and rhythmically catchy, yet underpinned by a distinct, vibrating anxiety. This British singer-songwriter has crafted a track that feels less...

Some tracks simply refuse to wait politely for your attention; they pull you right into the middle of the messiest, most thrilling part of growing up. "Kinda Love It" is exactly that kind of record. Romanian pop artist Francis On My Mind has returned with a new single via Universal Music Romania that bottles up the exact second a friendship crosses the line into romance. It...