Synthaurion pushes back against the cynicism of the modern era on the new atmospheric trance album, "Echoes Of Your Blessing." The independent electronic producer has mapped out a deeply emotional project, using the sprawling architecture of vocal and melodic dance music to explore spiritual resilience. While plenty of contemporary electronic music thrives in shadowy, underground isolation, Synthaurion aggressively chases the light. This is an...

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...