The first listen of Haus of Sound’s new single, “Mirage,” is like walking into a room where a beautifully ornate vase has just been shattered against a wall. There's a jagged, crystalline energy here, a collision of theatrical drama and raw, modern discontent. Evolving from their 2000s tribute roots, the Everett band has synthesized the best of that era’s angst—the coiled tension of early...

Listening to Shelita’s new single, “Fade,” is a strange and strangely comforting exercise in suspension. The track is built on a foundation you could almost set your watch to—a steady, pulsing beat that feels less like a drum machine and more like a medical monitor keeping track of something vital. Over this steady pulse, airy synths drift and gather like weather fronts, creating a...