Listening to the new DaLomonze EP, "Picture Day," is a study in deceptive portraiture. You’re told it’s about capturing a moment, a fixed smile for the world, documenting personal growth. The Cleveland artist’s vocals are certainly grand enough for a milestone, full-bodied and cinematic, with an orchestral sweep that feels both holy and expensive. But something is hiding in the gorgeous frame. It’s not...

Okay, here we go. Buckle up, buttercups, because Yksopretty's "IT IS WHAT IT IS" just body-slammed my expectations. This Detroit native, apparently a herald of Michigan's new wave (whatever that sonic sorcery is), dropped an album that’s… well, it is what it is. Six tracks of futuristic trap colliding head-on with… the existential dread of having too many gold chains? Seriously, that's the vibe. https://open.spotify.com/album/1bka60jvXUj0dK5BGDSP9K This isn't...