Romance gets interesting when it stops posing for the camera. Morgan La Fae’s "Cigarettes And Coffee" puts that idea at the centre of a sweet, scruffy debut alert to the small habits that make couples hard to explain. The dream-pop single carries the pull of a fond memory while keeping one eyebrow raised at it. La Fae calls it a love song for people who...

Independent Oxford singer-songwriter Carmen Rose Davidson confronts the wreckage of generational addiction on her agonizing new single, "Whiskey & Sin." Released deliberately to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Week, the track takes a fascinating detour from her typical blues grit and country soul, submerging listeners entirely into the haunting depths of cinematic dark pop. I typically flinch when music tries to process raw childhood trauma...