Ava Valianti represents something increasingly rare in contemporary music: genuine precocity without artifice. This Massachusetts artist, who is only fifteen years old, handles general themes with a level of emotional depth that is shocking. She shows that youth can bring out the best in complicated human experiences, rather than hiding them. "Distant," her sixth single, functions as a sonic archaeology of friendship's dissolution. The track excavates layers...

After a long absence, Mat Hook has returned with a new song that proves he is better and more powerful than before. Mat's new single, "Runaway Road," marks a significant turning point in his resurrection as a musician and a musical force. After a time of disruption that saw him leave the once-promising Sheffield band Kartica in 2014, among other things, he has returned with a...