Listening to RIOT SON’s new single, “Loneliest at Best,” is a curious exercise in emotional time-travel. The sound pulls you back to the early 2000s, to a time of angular guitars and heartfelt, frayed-collar vocals. It has that nervous, shimmering energy of indie rock that always sounded best on a pair of wired headphones, the beat prodding you forward even as the lyrics confess...

In the ever-shifting topography of modern music, where trends appear and vanish like digital ghosts, a new voice has emerged from Sydney, Australia, with a clarity and purpose that demands attention. At just 14 years old, JNZI has released his debut single, “Speaker,” a track that is already making its presence felt on national radio and beyond. It’s a song that doesn’t just ask...