With The Mortal Prophets and the release "Hide Inside The Moon", John Beckmann isn't just making a record; he seems to be curating a gallery exhibit for the ears, where the paintings are made of reverb and the sculptures are built from anxiety. It’s a curious, swirling thing a "gentle psychedelic weather system," to borrow a phrase, that hits you with the specific humidity...

Musicians who can create magic by drawing into their origins have a certain captivating and true quality about them. Sista Mika, whose given name is Sophia Michalakoudis, is a living monument to the genuineness of that culture. Sista Mika was born in Brussels with a Greek background. She grew up to the rhythmic rhythms of rebetiko, Greece's response to blues and reggae, a lyrical story of...