There’s a curious sort of old-soul gravity to Amelina’s single, “Step by Step,” one that defies the pop-rock sheen and the artist’s young age. The track opens with a resolute, almost stern, string and piano line that feels less like an invitation to a party and more like the sound of someone tying their shoelaces before a long journey. This is the sound of...

There is a distinctive friction when you listen to Pimpin Change and his upcoming album, “Luxury Pimpin”, something like the satisfying drag of a high-quality fountain pen across textured paper. You expect the ink to bleed, but the lines remain sharp. Jeremy Hill, the man behind the moniker and the Country Dreams Ent. label, operates in a space that feels surprisingly vacant in modern...