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...

Swedish-Balkan artist GINAxC drops her new single "Liar on Fire" with the heavy, deeply satisfying thud of a flipped dining table. She’s currently navigating the Eurovision circuit via San Marino, yet this track wholly rejects the sunny escapism of contest pop in favor of neon vengeance. https://open.spotify.com/track/7FFkidOKj0o9wIk2syVZfd?si=6acef3d535cc4660 This song operates inside the grim, sweaty machinery of a power shift. A relentless Europop progression drags you by...