SHAB channels survival itself on her new single, "Skin & Bones". The Persian American artist, a former refugee who rebuilt her life to become a prominent advocate for displaced persons globally, delivers something completely fascinating here. Born in the terrifying aftermath of her partner’s severe car crash, you might anticipate a heavy, mourning dirge. Instead, she weaponizes euphoria. https://open.spotify.com/track/6hdR6RTBE4SaYeg0sMg6Q7?si=72acc5770cc14863 The song hits you with an unabashedly...

If you’ve ever tried to catch a seagull mid-flight with a butterfly net, you’ll understand the elusive joy that Funky Blackman's "The Beach" EP serves up. Not that there are any feathered friends involved, directly. But the feeling? Yeah, it’s there, a fleeting, beautiful awkwardness. https://open.spotify.com/album/5Sk7pagwbS02FPhsKKAzOb?si=QYWmoCruQv2lw3xMISpLJQ This isn’t some synthesized shoreline; forget the stock wave sounds. This is a memory, maybe yours, maybe his, re-assembled. He’s...