French artist Kurtys, with his rich cultural and unique sound, is creating ripples far beyond his native Paris region. As the founder of Oshean Records, Kurtys has not only established himself as a self-produced artist but also as a confluence of diverse musical influences. Born to a Brazilian father and a Beninese mother, his music is a reflection of this varied heritage, echoing the Parisian and...

Robin James Hurt’s “A Song, A Story Told” arrives with a sound you can almost run a thumb over, like worn corduroy. In an age of sterile, diamond-polished productions, this album is a defiantly handmade thing, tracked onto vintage cassette machines. The result is not a flaw, but an ingredient. A faint, persistent hiss breathes alongside the instruments, a ghost in the machine who...