Listening to “Small Town Syndrome” by thinking silly is an exercise in delightful contradiction. Dylan Morrison’s project, shaped here by the production hand of collaborator Margot Taylor, builds a sleek, propulsive chassis of dark pop and minimal techno, only to house an engine of pure, grinding ache. It’s the sound of someone forcing a smile so wide their face hurts, a dance track for...

It's easy to see Edie Yvonne's story in her latest hit, "Girl Code," even though the scene is full of teen songs. Edie writes about the hard facts and unsaid rules of growing up at a time when life is dangerously balanced between having fun as a child and about to become an adult. That's not like Edie; her skills work just as well on set...