Independent multi-instrumentalist Cheryl Craigie has returned with a synth-pop cover of the classic soul staple, "What's Going On". Performing every vocal line and instrument herself, Craigie reinterprets the iconic plea for peace through a distinctly electronic lens. https://open.spotify.com/album/5koCGV86w9A29rvROrYlF8?si=J54YA8O4S9aGeTGOHFJmkA The performance rests on a bizarrely fascinating contrast. Craigie’s voice rolls smoothly through undulating, soulful phrases, carrying a desperate message about war, brutality, and systemic hatred. Yet beneath...

Dianne Forte has somehow built a bizarre, joyous bridge between Sunday morning devotion and a vintage arcade console with the instrumental version of her latest single, "Hallelujah Just Keep Your Heads Up Now". I anticipated the gentle cadence of her North Carolina gospel roots. Instead, the self-taught organist handed me a soundtrack for a sun-drenched, high-speed drive down a pixelated coastline. https://open.spotify.com/album/6GStrr1WiKEWJaAkuWYX5K?si=AOhyiEbXR1iGjVkwFtTIVQ The sheer, unrestrained energy...