Robin James Hurt’s “A Song, A Story Told” arrives with a sound you can almost run a thumb over, like worn corduroy. In an age of sterile, diamond-polished productions, this album is a defiantly handmade thing, tracked onto vintage cassette machines. The result is not a flaw, but an ingredient. A faint, persistent hiss breathes alongside the instruments, a ghost in the machine who...

Katie Belle's voice floats through the speakers like smoke curling toward the ceiling. Her latest single "Cigarette," marks another significant milestone in the Atlanta native's ascending career trajectory. Long-time partner Fabio Campedelli produced the song, which shows Belle's amazing ability to turn personal thought into something that everyone can relate to. The first notes pull you into a sonic atmosphere that feels both familiar and fresh....