Ava Valianti represents something increasingly rare in contemporary music: genuine precocity without artifice. This Massachusetts artist, who is only fifteen years old, handles general themes with a level of emotional depth that is shocking. She shows that youth can bring out the best in complicated human experiences, rather than hiding them. "Distant," her sixth single, functions as a sonic archaeology of friendship's dissolution. The track excavates layers...

A master of melody, and a poet of prose, Herald K, a Norwegian singer-songwriter and a composer par excellence, is a musical force to be reckoned with. Herald K is now laying the groundwork for his follow-up album, which he plans to release later in 2019. The album's five tracks, together titled "Mythologies," have already started to create excitement among international music sites. 'Folk Noir' is...