Gary Mictian’s "All I Ever Wanted" has just zapped into my ears, and it’s like being handed a perfectly ripe, glowing fruit by a robot who might also be quietly plotting your emotional unraveling. This London producer delivers a single that struts with that tell-tale Hyperpop swagger; a beat so bouncy it could escape a child’s birthday party, a bassline with a satisfying, almost...

Listening to the new DaLomonze EP, "Picture Day," is a study in deceptive portraiture. You’re told it’s about capturing a moment, a fixed smile for the world, documenting personal growth. The Cleveland artist’s vocals are certainly grand enough for a milestone, full-bodied and cinematic, with an orchestral sweep that feels both holy and expensive. But something is hiding in the gorgeous frame. It’s not...