Detroit’s Mike Chek, a subterranean staple who quietly pens chart-topping R&B hits on the side, leans completely into the emotional fallout of ambition on his new single "Alright", featuring guest artist TMI 215. https://open.spotify.com/track/3l7HsXZuLdXn3LFmVnSqHl?si=9835f9f41db44d8b It operates in the heavy air of an aimless 3 AM drive. You immediately catch a melancholic, plucked string loop that circles your head, setting an undeniably tired but resolute mood. Soon,...

Rhythm Pals’ new single, ‘Lookin’ Good,’ shimmied into my listening rotation, and honestly, it’s got the kind of bounce that could coax a smile from a particularly grumpy badger. These two dads, one musician, one animator, have concocted a pop-funk confection that’s as bright and immediate as a freshly opened box of crayons. Pure kid fuel, this. https://open.spotify.com/track/4vKkjfjgVFUgsbkArYE07b?si=3c4e041c48c249e1 The track champions the noble art of dressing...