Listening to HJ Soul’s new single "Unbreakable" is a bit like realizing you've been holding your breath for a decade and finally deciding to exhale. https://open.spotify.com/track/0z65wJzSjVNGOL88e2LvvA?si=eb5fcaf7ec184efe It begins with undeniable intimacy. Lush, warm, jazzy chord progressions roll through the room with a slow, expressive cadence resembling one of those quiet late-night conversations where you actually start telling the truth. The uprising RnB singer-songwriter has plunged straight...

With "Island Poetry", Boston outfit Mad Painter throw themselves headlong into the sprawling, theatrical spirit of 1970s rock. Led by songwriter, vocalist, and keyboardist Alex Gitlin alongside Al Hendry, Kenne Highland, Al Naha, Sharon Crumrine, and Julie Gee the band pushes roaring Hammond organ runs, layered vocal harmonies, and warm analog punch to the forefront, treating classic-era rock as a playground with no speed...