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...

Epic Sigh's "Deteriorate," a single served straight from the neon-drenched gut of Las Vegas, has somehow materialized. Nina Carmine's vocals—soulful? Yes, hauntingly so, echoing off the canyons of some internal, broken jukebox. Alongside her, Aleena Carmine with songwriting and Nick Carmine helming production construct, it at its heart; its sonic skeleton. Alan Nicholas's Guitar, sampled throughout the track, has left an indelible impression on...