I confess, my first encounter with MAAME’s new single, “Daydreaming,” was one of deceptive serenity. Here is a track that slides into your awareness with such poise, a self-assured piece of modern R&B that knows its way around a groove. It’s only on the second pass that you realize the serene space it creates is filled with a low, anxious hum—the sound of a...

AriSawkaDoria. The name alone sounds like an incantation, a summoning of something… interesting. This trio—KJ Sawka, he of Pendulum and Destroid percussive prowess, Joe Doria, finger-dancing on the Hammond B3, and Ari Joshua, weaving guitar spells, it made no sense and perfect sense on paper. Their latest offering? A single, "Naima." Coltrane's "Naima." Bold. Did someone order a plate of unexpected sonic delights? Because...