AC23 is a dynamo on the British music scene, and they came straight out of Newcastle upon Tyne, a lively and throbbing city famed for its rich history and buzzing nightlife. This multi-talented musician blends styles together in a novel way, yet his heart and soul are in hip-hop. AC23 is a musical chameleon, capable of switching between the lyrical finesse of a seasoned poet and...

Nobody wants a neighbour who scripts their smile. Monique Maion puts that pressure at the centre of “Karen”, a Portuguese-language single. The Brazilian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist takes the familiar Karen persona, shaped by political debate and social media, and shrinks it back to the size of a real conflict: one person trying to dictate another person’s manners. It is a smart dismissal with baião at...