Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...

If you immerse yourself in the pulsating world of Francois Marius's music, you could just stumble onto your next favourite piece. This multi-talented musician is building a name for himself in the reggae scene. He is originally from the wide expanses of Canada, but he is presently working his magic in Tallinn, Estonia. In his songs, the placid rhythm of reggae combines fluidly and naturally with...