Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...

Polyvoda, an emerging band in the center of Kyiv, Ukraine during harsh times, has quickly found its place on the current stage of musical arts. The three have developed a sound that is both innovative and significant; featuring Denis Levchenko (bass), Kyrylo Chykhradze (keys) and Mykhailo Birchenko (drums). Through the released “Bonfire” song, Polyvoda proves that they are strong players within this industry. “Bonfire”, this mixture of...