Speaking as honestly as possible, it is not often a song hits as hard as it does purely on a first listen. Paul Frazer Clarke’s “Cloud To Cloud” did exactly that and we can virtually guarantee you’re going to vibe with it. This serves as the opening chapter of his ambitious Five Coordinates project, a five-part EP series featuring international collaborators throughout 2026.

There are songs that communicate through lyrics, and then there are songs that communicate through pure feeling. Emanuela Di Loreto’s “Per questo mio bisogno” belongs to the latter! Sung entirely in Italian, the single demonstrates that emotional connection often transcends language, delivering a performance so heartfelt and sincere that listeners can feel every sentiment regardless of whether they understand a single word being sung.

Across eight beautifully crafted songs, John Lebanon explores identity, belonging, faith, and human connection with a sincerity that feels increasingly rare in today's landscape. They’ve managed to keep everything sounding superbly fresh and original with “Kite Without a String” and by the record’s end, we immediately wanted to listen again to capture that laidback feel.

Children’s music often falls into one of two traps…it either talks down to its audience or becomes so relentlessly educational that it forgets to be entertaining. Dave Reminick, the creative force behind DadJoke, sidesteps both pitfalls with ease on Fun Intended, a truly delightful album that embraces imagination, humor, and adventurousness without sacrificing genuine craftsmanship. We can confidently say we’ve never heard anything like it, but that’s really the magic of it all. We’ll 100% be playing it for our kids someday!

Drew Russell’s “Pocket Watch” immediately offers something refreshingly different than you might be used to. Rather than celebrating certainty or destination, the Australian singer & songwriter explores the often overlooked space in between, like those moments when life seems to be rushing ahead while you're left standing still. The end up is a deeply affecting folk-rock single that balances introspection with optimism, all the while being wrapped in a warm yet bright musical landscape.