50mething, the 58-year-old British independent solo artist, confronts global horror with disarming brightness on his jarring new single, "Gaza (on and on and on)". Hailing from Ealing, Paul Jenner an ex-dancer and former garden builder operating from his DIY home studio crafts story-based music that speaks directly to structural injustice. Here, he takes the endless, agonizing cycle of war and deliberately sneaks it inside...

Marina's voice, which is strong and unadulterated, ushers in a story that is at once ancient and contemporary. She was born under the great sky of Ukraine. Her early memories are filled with choirs and juvenile competitions; as a result, she is more than simply a singer; she is an image of endurance. Marina's career has taken off like a shooting star because she has been...