Leon Blanchard, a name perhaps faintly echoing from the mid-noughties indie surge, returns not with fanfare, but with a solitary signal flare titled "Astronaut". Hailing from Grimsby, a town known more for its fishing heritage than its celestial aspirations, Blanchard's new song does not really feel like a return, but more like a personal gearbox picked up after years of chatter. In 2007, his old band,...

Jacob Barrett completely dismantles the illusion of composure on his stunning new single, "Here I Go Again." At first blush, the San Francisco multi-instrumentalist sets up a relatively subdued, rhythmic bounce. It feels like measured, perfectly pleasant indie pop. https://open.spotify.com/track/4YHQAeYRcroBAogGz5iGFY?si=da5f0ca325ad4cc4 But that steady facade is incredibly fragile. The lyrics dive headfirst into the messy, alienating reality of living with a chronic illness. Barrett captures the specific...