The moment the jaunty guitar kicks in on John Smyths’ new single, "Now I'm Wiser", you feel a familiar, comfortable warmth. It’s the sound of a good chair in a bar where the floor is sticky with spilled truths. And then the story starts, a classic yarn of a hard-living past yielding to a peaceful present. Smyths, a Dutch ex-metalhead singing country out of...

We have heard a lot of love songs, but this one has a distinct vibe—something you will hear for yourself after you listen to it. An exciting fusion of rhythmic African rhythms and soulful vocals, Kurtys's new single "Joha" narrates a love story with a significant woman. The songs are Afrobeat and R&B. Afrobeat components combined with catchy grooves give the song depth of feeling, and...