The first listen of Haus of Sound’s new single, “Mirage,” is like walking into a room where a beautifully ornate vase has just been shattered against a wall. There's a jagged, crystalline energy here, a collision of theatrical drama and raw, modern discontent. Evolving from their 2000s tribute roots, the Everett band has synthesized the best of that era’s angst—the coiled tension of early...

Some EPs ask you to sit with your feelings. 'Dancing On The Event Horizon' grabs those feelings by the collar, turns the amps up, and tells them to move. Tár, the alternative rock band from Szczecin, Poland, have built a four-track release that feels heavy without getting stuck, emotional without dragging its feet, and nostalgic without sounding trapped in someone else’s record collection. The band calls...