The air crackles a bit differently when a new track from DJThriller arrives. There’s an expectation, a certain hum that suggests you’re not just about to hear a song, but perhaps a piece of someone’s mind, meticulously laid bare. With “Ain’t Asking,” that hum amplifies into a clear, resonant signal. This is a front-and-centre declaration, a modern alt-rap piece that feels less like a request...

Have you ever felt a strange sense of nostalgia for a time you never lived in? Like a phantom limb for a past that isn’t yours. It’s a peculiar sensation, that anachronistic ache. Listening to “Lost,” the debut album from Dallas artist Jake Vera, evokes a similar feeling. It’s a record built with the tools of the 21st century, a collaboration forged in the crucible of...