The French singer Maeva Fischer is, as the headline promises, a bright star, and her collaboration with rapper T Mike on the song "Supernova" is proof positive of that. You can hear distinct influences from French chanson, jazz, pop, and soul in this song. It represents all that is free, pleasant, and warm in our souls. Her dedication to the song's subject matter is constant throughout...

Micah Rose-Trespeuch’s new album, "Coughing Up Blood," feels less like a listening experience and more like witnessing an urgent, almost involuntary act of transmutation. Rose-Trespeuch (piano, vocals), with Julien Baraness masterfully texturing the soundscapes and Gaetan Allard providing the often-fractured, sometimes thunderous pulse on drums, has crafted something akin to a diary written in volatile ink. One moment, you're amidst Chopin-esque piano runs that...