Edinburgh songwriter James King delivers a haunting solo debut "Firefly" that transforms trauma into raw, cathartic art It is very pleasant to hear an artist ready to bleed onto the recording in this day and age of over-production and automated music. This is exactly what James King's first solo record, "Firefly," does: it lets fans into the soul of an artist who is not afraid to...

Remy Smith’s "Short Ride Down" arrived not with a crash, but with the insistent hum of fluorescent lights in a waiting room you can’t quite leave. This slice of indie rock, edged with the introspection of folk, doesn't just sing about the Los Angeles hustle; it smells faintly of studio air conditioning and the specific anxiety of knowing your smile is part of the...