The risk inside a good day gives Biernacki’s “Up & Down” its pulse. The Kraków songwriter and producer places a close vocal over piano, delicate percussion, bass and electronic detail, then lets the pressure collect rather than explode. This is polished alt-pop with a melancholic streak, built for the listener who knows that relief can sometimes make the mind start looking for the next thing...

Anthony Melas, better known as A!MS, has spent years crafting his Mediterranean-infused take on UK rap from his base in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. Now he's joined forces with Brighton's ArrDee for "Need Somebody," a track that feels like catching lightning in a bottle while sipping ouzo on a beach. This collaboration represents something fascinating about modern music's borderless nature. Here's A!MS, the former So Solid Crew...