Shawn Brown’s EP, "Into the Furious Light," doesn’t slip quietly into the stream of modern indie-folk releases; it instead cups its hands around your soul like you’re a candle in danger of flickering out. The Portland troubadour crafts songs that feel like fragments of conversations—maybe ones you walked in on too late or letters unsent to someone dear but no longer near. You’re never...

An original piece of art has been made by Maria Deirisarri, who lives in Atlanta. With her most recent album, "In the Beginning," she skillfully takes listeners through an array of contexts while also talking about her creative process. Even though her young age might make it seem like she doesn't have much experience, Deirisarri's music is overflowing with timeless knowledge. Her record has a...