Listening to the new EP from Mahto & The Loose Balloons, “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue,” is like opening a wooden box found in an attic. The contents aren't keepsakes, but vows—four jagged promises made to oneself in the quiet aftermath of a great uncoupling. https://open.spotify.com/album/3tCZ38eK4scP2ncv8ga7WM?si=RJGgjZhlQSWNOxxaRbKPZg This is music that breathes the air of the room it was born in. Mahto Addison-Browder’s voice...

Blending Malay and English lyrics, Shahera Sam delivers a heartfelt single "Kenapa (Why)" that explores life’s questions through the sounds of Southeast Asia. Shahera Sam from Kuala Lumpur turns personal questions into musical poems in her first song, "Kenapa (Why)". The song is a big step forward for the up-and-coming Malaysian artist. She wrote the reflective words when she was 17 years old, with only a...