There is a strangely magnetic pull to Paper Mountains’ released debut album, "An Olive Tree and a Warm Breeze." Toby Lloyd, the music producer, songwriter, and frontman steering this solo project, has stepped away from the background of crafting sounds for others to finally map out his own mind. Leaning into the soul and folk-pop sensibilities of Iron and Wine and Sam Cooke, Lloyd...

Some tracks do not ask for your attention; they kick the door off the hinges and drag you along for the ride. "Sora" hits the ear with zero hesitation, dropping you straight into the middle of a high speed pursuit. There is no slow build, no gentle introduction, and absolutely no time to catch your breath. Itssmill captures the exact feeling of running late for something...