Dylan Forshner's new EP, “Hopeless Optimism,” presents itself not so much as a collection of songs but as a series of candid diary entries set to intricately picked acoustic strings. This five-song journey from the Welland, Canada artist begins in a place of palpable internal wrestling, where the lyrics – and Forshner’s delivery – map out the grim territories of being overwhelmed, using substances...

Chris Oledude presents "White Lie: Carolyn's Story", a single that initially feels like slipping into a warm bath before you realize the water is slowly turning to ice. If you let your attention drift, the track masquerades perfectly as a vintage soft rock ballad or a slice of polished, satirical blue-eyed soul. There is a bouncing low-end pulse and shimmering, glossy high notes that...