There's an intimacy to the new FREE/MAN release, "The Reconnection EP," that borders on a welcome invasion of personal space. It is the sonic equivalent of someone leaning in, not to share a secret, but to create the silence where your own might finally surface. Charlie Freeman hasn't built a grand cathedral of sound here; he's simply furnished a quiet room with stark, necessary...

Pretti Emage, who calls herself the "Princess of Hip-Hop," is quickly becoming a prominent figure in the world of rap music. She was given the name Zayah Nicole Riley at birth and is originally from Tampa, Florida. She has rapidly established a reputation for herself thanks to her adaptable style, which fuses hip-hop and R&B in a fluid manner. She began her career as a part...