The orchestral opening stops a listener’s scroll. Roger K’s “Please Don’t Put It on Me,” arrives as cinematic dark pop with a real ache at its centre. The independent Australian singer, songwriter and producer gives adult force to a child’s plea, placing inner-child pressure, fear and self-worth against trap and drill-informed drums. It is direct, dark and built for the moment when somebody finally says the...

Dallas performer Sheldon Mashugana captures the messy delirium of autumn feasts on his bouncy new holiday pop single, "It's Turkey Day." The comedic alter ego of Texas entertainer Dean Morgan, Mashugana translates his slapstick internet sensibilities into an energetic, danceable earworm. Built on an upbeat, syncopated rhythm driven by punchy harmonic accents, the track moves with an exuberant, repetitive cadence tailored for restless kids...