There is something deliciously conspiratorial about Hidden Shores and the release of the "Neon Silence" EP. I find myself picturing the artist wiping chalk dust off their hands after a day of teaching elementary schoolers, only to go home, dim the lights, and converse with algorithms. It’s not your typical moonlighting gig; while most are decompressing with reality TV, Hidden Shores is out there...

Because of the deft manner in which she combines the styles of country music, pop music, folk music, and the music of her Brazilian ancestors, Anna Lopes stands out as a bright light in the huge musical tapestry of linked genres and worldwide influences that characterises the music business. At the age of 19, she uprooted her life and travelled to the United States to...