Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...

New music from sensational UK musician D3's upcoming project, "Product Of Society", is titled "Illuminati", and it is expected to be released later this year. Lyrically, the song is razor-sharp, and the storytelling and direct delivery are ideal for dealing with difficult or controversial topics like the one she sang about here. She incorporates hypnotic, danceable grooves, which provide a contrast to the sombre subject matter...