Raquel Ramos really mixes it up on her single "Advice," drawing from what feels like a whole generational Rolodex of music. You've got that 90s alt-rock edge, some pure pop earnestness, and hints of R&B soul woven through it. And the song itself (from Ramos, who used to be Sirena Sol) doesn't hit you softly; it feels more like the surprise of finding a...

Listening to Arnold J.’s new single, "Muddy Waters," isn't quite like anything else swirling around right now. It arrives with the gentle insistence of incoming tide, pulling you into its specific gravity. Arnold J., Ghanaian-born and now Canada-based, weaves a sound tagged as alt-country and folk, but those labels feel thin, like trying to contain smoke. There’s earthiness, sure, but his soulful vocal lines...