The first encounter with Asta Bria’s new single, “Dragonfly,” is a calculated disorientation. For an artist who once cozied up to funk’s leisurely sway, this is a sharp turn onto a rain-slicked digital highway. The song’s intent for the dance floor is immediately apparent; a commanding, four-to-the-floor beat acts as a gravitational field, pinning you to the present moment. But hovering just above it...

KAYTIE’s new single "Evil Person" arrives with the pristine, deliberate clarity of a single ice cube cracking in a silent room. For a piano-driven ballad, there is a surprising amount of sharp edges here. Kaytie Kear, the 20-year-old singer and songwriter behind the name, doesn’t just perform a song of heartbreak; she presents evidence. This is the autopsy of a connection so personal and...