If you ask around, you will discover that the new single "Christmas Angel" by German vocalist Nadine Stockmann is outstanding by any standard. The new song invites everyone who hears it and engages with it to experience happiness in its purest form. It doesn't matter what it is; the song is significantly superior. Since it is so relatable and all-encompassing, you can practically give the impression...

Sam Ostler’s new single, “Lights,” then. It unfolds less like a sudden, intrusive glare and more like the slow, determined burn of a really good stage light finally finding its mark after a prolonged blackout. It’s pop, yes, vibrant and undeniably contemporary as advertised – clean lines, clear intentions. Yet, there’s a certain satisfying heft beneath the melodic uplift, a feeling that these notes...