You know that exact second when everyone is staring at you, waiting for you to blow out the candles, and all you want to do is disappear? Ava Valianti has captured that highly specific, deeply uncomfortable feeling and turned it into an absolute indie pop gem. Her latest single, "Birthday Cake," drops you right into the middle of a party you never wanted to attend....

Musicians who can create magic by drawing into their origins have a certain captivating and true quality about them. Sista Mika, whose given name is Sophia Michalakoudis, is a living monument to the genuineness of that culture. Sista Mika was born in Brussels with a Greek background. She grew up to the rhythmic rhythms of rebetiko, Greece's response to blues and reggae, a lyrical story of...