Three hours. A producer building a beat in real time. An artist on the couch writing melodies and most of the lyrics before the session is over. That is the engine behind Nicosongs’ "In My Mind", the Melbourne artist’s original contemporary R&B single. It is an origin story with momentum, and it suits an artist drawn to records that carry emotional depth while still giving people...

There is a peculiar kind of exhaustion in loving someone to your own detriment, a feeling that Leeds-based six-piece Twinsize capture with frightening accuracy on their new single "Contortionist." Released on Monomyth Records, the track is a striking exploration of atmospheric alternative rock and shoegaze, mapping out the devastating toll of emotional imbalance. https://open.spotify.com/track/0BxIFjHHRhooaQSrXsuyCT?si=F1p1e1EbQBO3lTF6nPXwsA The music opens with a sparse, echoing melodic pattern. It’s a gentle,...