A Project Called Love just dropped the new single "Chance Encounter," and I’ve been letting its surprisingly anxious rhythm bounce around my skull all afternoon. Jay Hope, the musician handling songwriting, vocals, guitar, and bass for this solo venture, splits his life between the sun-bleached shores of Venice, California, and the concrete lines of Cologne, Germany. Usually deeply rooted in the punk and grunge...

There is a specific kind of melodic stride in Lana Crow’s new release, “Orwellian Times,” that reminds me, quite vividly, of the way people walk when they’re late for a meeting they know is going to be an absolute disaster. It is brisk, purposeful, and rhythmically catchy, yet underpinned by a distinct, vibrating anxiety. This British singer-songwriter has crafted a track that feels less...