The risk inside a good day gives Biernacki’s “Up & Down” its pulse. The Kraków songwriter and producer places a close vocal over piano, delicate percussion, bass and electronic detail, then lets the pressure collect rather than explode. This is polished alt-pop with a melancholic streak, built for the listener who knows that relief can sometimes make the mind start looking for the next thing...

Some tracks grab your attention by screaming, but the best ones pull you in by speaking softly about the things we usually hide. That is exactly what happens the second you hit play on "Heroin Blue Light." The latest release from Angel of the Evening, an independent music project created by New Zealand artist Isis-Joy, is a masterclass in emotional gravity. It is a six-minute descent...