Michellar’s new EP, “My Alma Latina,” arrived with the familiar, sinuous warmth of a Santana guitar riff but proceeds to map out an altogether different territory. This isn't just a collection of pop songs seasoned with Latin flair; it's a five-part spiritual field guide, an intimate log of a soul navigating a world that refuses to stand still. https://open.spotify.com/album/2rKpoVX8FJo2tbgSWw50v3?si=6y-Ot-Y7TKyd2tChEI5Jxg It begins with an earthy anxiety, a...

Sam Ostler’s new single, “Lights,” then. It unfolds less like a sudden, intrusive glare and more like the slow, determined burn of a really good stage light finally finding its mark after a prolonged blackout. It’s pop, yes, vibrant and undeniably contemporary as advertised – clean lines, clear intentions. Yet, there’s a certain satisfying heft beneath the melodic uplift, a feeling that these notes...