A lot of musicians, mostly rappers, appear all the time, and I can confidently say that not all of them have Trady's level of elegance. Trady is a rapper from the United Kingdom, specifically Billingham. His lyrical style reminds me of the early days of Eminem, the great slim shady. It's no surprise that he cited Eminem as an influence, along with Joyner Lucas...

The first listen of Haus of Sound’s new single, “Mirage,” is like walking into a room where a beautifully ornate vase has just been shattered against a wall. There's a jagged, crystalline energy here, a collision of theatrical drama and raw, modern discontent. Evolving from their 2000s tribute roots, the Everett band has synthesized the best of that era’s angst—the coiled tension of early...