French artist Kurtys, with his rich cultural and unique sound, is creating ripples far beyond his native Paris region. As the founder of Oshean Records, Kurtys has not only established himself as a self-produced artist but also as a confluence of diverse musical influences. Born to a Brazilian father and a Beninese mother, his music is a reflection of this varied heritage, echoing the Parisian and...

Dylan Forshner's new EP, “Hopeless Optimism,” presents itself not so much as a collection of songs but as a series of candid diary entries set to intricately picked acoustic strings. This five-song journey from the Welland, Canada artist begins in a place of palpable internal wrestling, where the lyrics – and Forshner’s delivery – map out the grim territories of being overwhelmed, using substances...