The fastest pop songs arrive like a notification. Ben Lester’s self-titled debut does something more interesting: it lets the listener wait for the message to finish forming. Across 13 tracks for Mayfield Records, the London singer, songwriter, performer and producer turns patience into part of the pleasure. The result is indie pop with an arranger’s discipline, a record built for people who like a chorus but...

Okay, let’s talk about Aynaz, shall we? They've dropped a single called “To My Angel Friend,” and it feels less like a tune and more like… a sudden breeze through a dusty attic window. You know, the kind where long-forgotten trinkets catch the light and make you blink? It’s a tribute, see, to a friend gone. A sort of musical memorial with Celtic undertones,...