The fiercely independent, Idaho-raised rapper nick! channels a deeply overstimulated, restless frequency on his new EP, "GEEKED!". Born in 2006 and building a fervent following entirely without industry co-signs, he occupies an interesting lane in new-wave underground hip-hop. His music sounds precisely like the brain chemistry of an internet-raised creative processing the blinding speed of newfound success. He writes and produces melodic, hard-hitting rap...

There's something profoundly moving about an artist who chooses silence over noise, clarity over chaos. Daniel Nwosu Jr., better known as Dax, made exactly that choice when he promised himself he wouldn't release new music until he achieved six months of sobriety. The result? "Man I Used To Be" - a track that feels like watching someone rebuild themselves note by note. The Canadian-Nigerian rapper, who once...