Some names behave like locked doors. They sit in a lyric, plain enough to read, yet private enough to resist the curious hand. Emilia, in Yacovelli's new single, carries that strange power. She is named, pursued, teased, and protected, as if the song has placed her under stage light only to turn the bulb toward the crowd. For a band rooted in the scuffed romance...

When you hear the name Stephen Thomas, you might right away think of Charleston, West Virginia, or maybe his own genre name, "Universal" As a label, it does not feel like a neat box. Instead, it feels like an open field where hip-hop and alternative pop music mix. His most recent song, "Breaking Hearts," sounds a lot like that. It utilises sounds from artists like...