Ultan’s single, "The Tempest," erupts not so much into the room as it does through the floorboards, dragging with it the scent of wet wool and imminent confrontation. This Dublin solo musician, a cartographer of past agonies, presents an energetic rock piece that feels less like a song about history and more like a fragment of it, throbbing and urgent. The main riff careers...

Today, Josh Hicks and "Eyes On You" come at a time when truthfulness in music seems to be getting harder to find. With this single, the Welsh singer-songwriter has made something truly moving, one that feels both close and wide. It is been three years since Hicks last worked with his long-time partner ShatterJack, and this change in tone is very interesting. Teaming up with rising producer...