There's something profoundly moving about music that doesn't just entertain but transforms. Rebecca Anderson's latest single "In the Beginning" accomplishes this rare feat, creating a sonic experience that resonates far beyond its runtime. There are waves of feeling in this R&B song, and it has a spiritual depth that makes it feel both deeply personal and open to everyone. Anderson, a classically trained artist based in Los...

Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...