UPHORIA, the rising, multi-instrumentalist, solo artist hailing from Australia's Sunshine Coast, bursts onto the scene with her single, "Don't Wanna Catch Your Disease." It's a declaration, a sonic slap in the face to anyone who's ever tried to dim someone else's sparkle. This track is all about reclaiming power. Imagine that feeling when you finally rip off a band-aid that’s been stuck way too long....

Kent Owens, a name that sounds like it should be on a library card next to “Hemingway,” but instead it's on the digital shelf next to my slightly messy playlist. This Cambridge-based creator of soundscapes – I’m resisting calling them songs, but…well – just released “Fade Away,” a single that feels like an open window after a long winter. It’s a soft rock hum...