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...

Simona-Valentina’s new album, “Mirrors & Feathers,” arrived much like an unexpected guest at a tea party – one who’s been through a rather significant ordeal but still manages a fascinating, slightly skewed smile. This London-based songwriter, with roots trailing back to Transylvania, offers a collection that feels less like a polished performance and more like eavesdropping on intensely private, courageous conversations, rendered in dreamy,...