Listening to Arnold J.’s new single, "Muddy Waters," isn't quite like anything else swirling around right now. It arrives with the gentle insistence of incoming tide, pulling you into its specific gravity. Arnold J., Ghanaian-born and now Canada-based, weaves a sound tagged as alt-country and folk, but those labels feel thin, like trying to contain smoke. There’s earthiness, sure, but his soulful vocal lines...

Laurel, a London-based artist also known as Carlene Simms, has released "Move From Me" and demonstrates that she has evolved as a musician and has become a force to be reckoned with in modern music. The single ensures that Lahrel is shining as an artist thanks to her unique voice, which can create exciting soundscapes and an original hybrid of R&B, soul, and pop infused...