Flavor Wave’s single, “The Optimist,” arrived less like a declaration and more like someone tentatively drawing back a dusty curtain on a grey afternoon. From West Chester, PA, these five lifelong friends – Kyle Loedel (vocals, lyrics), Matthew Stretch (lead guitar), Patrick Blair (rhythm guitar), Noah Montgomery (bass), and Joshua Speaker (performer/drums) – typically tread alternative rock paths nodding to influences like The Strokes....

From penning lyrics on a pizza box at 15 to crafting hits in the studio, Dylan Dixon’s musical odyssey has been nothing short of remarkable. This South-West London native, who grew up immersed in the sounds of American hip-hop maestros like Jay Z and Kanye West, as well as UK legends like CHIP and Kano, has seamlessly blended these influences to shape a sound distinctly...