Dylan Forshner's new EP, “Hopeless Optimism,” presents itself not so much as a collection of songs but as a series of candid diary entries set to intricately picked acoustic strings. This five-song journey from the Welland, Canada artist begins in a place of palpable internal wrestling, where the lyrics – and Forshner’s delivery – map out the grim territories of being overwhelmed, using substances...

Hamilton Hound's "Graves" isn't something you just hear, it sort of happens to you, like finding a forgotten photograph in an old book. Ian Hamilton, this voice navigating the echoes of a working-class upbringing, doesn't sing so much as share secrets whispered over a chipped mug of tea. Liz Arcane’s voice weaves in like a contrasting thread, adding a subtle but important texture. It’s...