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...

Dust motes danced in the pre-dawn light, much like how my brain felt after hearing The Dinosaur’s Skin's “Meteor Shower.” Trex and Triceratops, that dynamic duo from, uh, the past, seem to have found the perfect blend of heart-thumping bass and wistful synth. It's not a typical love song; it's a love song told by asteroids, apparently, hurtling through space. Quite the cosmic heartbreak,...