Brooklyn-based solo artist E.Z.O. captures a mood of quiet, breezy liberation on his new single, "Fiend." Serving as a bridge from his "2000's vibe" EP to his upcoming album, "Suburban urban", the track draws heavily on the smooth, introspective contemporary R&B of early-2000s icons like Donnell Jones and Jagged Edge. https://open.spotify.com/track/43dVAcm5lsHJoNeUACw9ot?si=5X15P35STAa2Mu_xjUx_8A The instrumental relies on a bright, repeating plucked sequence that dances nimbly across the high...

HollyBear does not sound heartbroken on "OBVIOUS". She sounds like she already checked the receipts, closed the app, fixed her hair, and decided the lesson was expensive but useful. That is the fun of the single. It has the warmth of R&B, the cool posture of jazz influence, and the tiny side-eye of someone who knows exactly what happened. "OBVIOUS" moves with a smile that...