Listening to “Small Town Syndrome” by thinking silly is an exercise in delightful contradiction. Dylan Morrison’s project, shaped here by the production hand of collaborator Margot Taylor, builds a sleek, propulsive chassis of dark pop and minimal techno, only to house an engine of pure, grinding ache. It’s the sound of someone forcing a smile so wide their face hurts, a dance track for...

SLAPPER’s latest instrumental single, "We Kept The Night," hits the nervous system like a sudden memory of a teenage curfew completely ignored. Created by solo artist Claudiu-Gabriel Tache, the Romanian electronic project weaves an energetic, neon-tinted atmosphere that entirely bypasses the brain and aims straight for your heartbeat. https://open.spotify.com/album/1ViBUUSpof7UkZSeG3yiFA?si=aGe4DzAbRm627r-Gwjhv3Q The melody is intensely bright. Bouncy, rapidly played ascending and descending notes dance relentlessly over a steady,...