You know that exact second when everyone is staring at you, waiting for you to blow out the candles, and all you want to do is disappear? Ava Valianti has captured that highly specific, deeply uncomfortable feeling and turned it into an absolute indie pop gem. Her latest single, "Birthday Cake," drops you right into the middle of a party you never wanted to attend....

Harris Rafferty makes his latest statement with "Burnin’", a track that arrives with the subtle grace of a brick thrown through a conservatory window. Listening to this, I was immediately struck by the sheer kinetic output of the Lancashire artist; it feels less like a studio recording and more like being strapped into a roller coaster that has not been inspected for safety since...