Listening to Bloomfield Machine's new seventeen-track instrumental album, “Copium,” feels a bit like stepping into a terrarium during a quiet downpour. The title itself suggests a kind of modern, knowing self-delusion, the balm we apply just to get by. Yet, the music crafted by Huntington Beach’s Brian Kassan is far too sincere for pure cynicism. This isn’t the sound of giving up; it’s the...

This song's composition makes it an easy bet that it will be remembered as one of the year's finest musical offerings. The 17-year-old performer's latest single, "Why I," is an exciting showcase of talent and charisma. He's so talented and smart musically that he can take existing tunes and give them a whole new spin. It's obvious in this song that he's singing to a female,...