Fiona Amaka’s new single, “Cowards and Shadows,” doesn’t kick down the door; it slips the lock and vanishes into the night, leaving the chain on. There’s a particular London cool to this departure, a swagger in its disappearing act. The track's lauded Bowie-esque posture is immediately apparent, thanks in no small part to Andy Zanini's sharp, stalking guitar work. It’s less a gentle fade...

Okay, buckle up, because Track Dogs just dropped a Christmas card. Not the kind with a sparkly snowman, though. This "A Christmas Card" album feels more like a rambling, joyous postcard sent from a slightly tipsy, globe-trotting relative. They've taken the usual folk/Americana framework and tossed in some maracas and maybe a sneaky jazz trombone. It's the sort of unexpected musical mashup that makes...