Most music that arrives with the label “meditative” feels like an instruction to relax—a gentle but firm command. Karen Salicath Jamali’s “Angel Gabriel’s Light,” however, doesn’t instruct; it simply arrives. Listening to this single for the first time is like walking into a room to find the light has changed color, subtly and without explanation. You don’t question how it happened. You just stand...

California's Own Ismay Paints the Landscape of Americana-Folk Music with Rich, Earthy Hues. California's golden vistas carry the reverberations of a heartfelt tone, which the mountains softly reflect. Avery Hellman, better known by their stage name Ismay, is an engaging folk/Americana musician whose music beautifully reflects the spirit of her native California. As early as 2020, publications like American Songwriter and No Depression were raving about the...