Darkness can leave room for a joke, and heavy music can still move. On "Rustbelt Rejects", Akron artist Zmack puts that relationship to work through abrasive textures, grooves and odd humour. His original album brings hip-hop into contact with Memphis trap, Horrorcore, industrial, funk-metal and phonk. Yet the aim is not genre display. The range accommodates memory, loss, anger, pride, relationships and Irish-American identity. It gives...

The indie pop duo Grace & Moji have finally released their latest project, “Sad Times." They attempted to establish themselves as independent people while still in a relationship with one another, which had an influence on their plot. The Sad Times video compliments is a visual extravaganza, fusing reality with fantasy to explore the complexities of being sad. The video is directed by John Frost, and...