Mardi Gras, six souls strong – Liina Rätsep, Fabrizio Fontanelli, Alessandro Matilli, Carlo Di Tore Tosti, Valerio Giovanardi, Fabrizio Del Marchesato. A sonic stew of pop, rock, soul, seasoned with pinches of Irish countryside and grunge. Their new album, “Sandcastle,” it's a funny thing. You build it, you know, meticulously. Expecting something sturdy, but then... the tide. https://open.spotify.com/album/4lZvTKocqM3ZASCijsFIwm?si=J47K5t1NRRGY1wJb29sUVw This record feels like exactly that; a gorgeous...

The first encounter with Asta Bria’s new single, “Dragonfly,” is a calculated disorientation. For an artist who once cozied up to funk’s leisurely sway, this is a sharp turn onto a rain-slicked digital highway. The song’s intent for the dance floor is immediately apparent; a commanding, four-to-the-floor beat acts as a gravitational field, pinning you to the present moment. But hovering just above it...