DISCOVERING THE NEW MUSIC UNDERGROUND AROUND THE GLOBE
Country/Review Jens Gustavson - Vissa dagar
For nearly 30 years, the Swedish singer/songwriter Jens Gustavson has composed, recorded, and released his own music on CD, vinyl, and digitally. With various bands, or solo, he has performed at numerous parties, pubs, events, and festivals in Sweden over the years. For example, Storsjöyran, Urkult, and Svarttorpsfestivalen. His previous band, Andras Ungar, were often praised for their rowdy and sweaty performances. Musically, Jens belongs to the alternative scene.
Rock/Review John Michael Hersey - Democracy
Singer/songwriter/actor John Michael Hersey has released twenty-one albums of his music, including the October 2025 album, Democracy, where he continues his fertile fusion of rock, pop, folk, blues, and country.
Pop/Review Jasio - Fantasy
Jasio Kulakowski is a Canadian guitarist, songwriter, and producer who first broke through as a core creative force in the Juno-nominated rock/metal band Kobra and the Lotus. His decade-long run with the group included co-writing five studio albums, international touring, Billboard-charting singles, and over 25 million streams—cementing his place in the modern rock world.
Metal/Review Jenks - Deathtrap
Jenks, hailing from Melbourne, Australia, is an emerging artist who has poured his heart and soul into his music. Without the support and encouragement of a close friend who understood the power of music as an outlet, this project may never have come to fruition.
Folk/Review JD Hinton - Trying To Get It Right
A singer/songwriter, JD Hinton has composed songs and music for Hollywood films, including GLORIA, TICK-TOCK, and Mark Medoff’s film CHILDREN ON THEIR BIRTHDAYS. This 1942 period film features his song I HAVE TO DREAM sung by Celine Dion. JD takes his original music into Los Angeles and New York clubs with sold-out shows at Rockwood Music Hall, Vitello’s, Rockwell, House of Blues, and Viper Room.
Hip-Hop/Review JESUS THE APOLLO - THE VILLAIN!
Meet JESUS THE APOLLO, a multi-talented artist from London, now based in Manchester, UK. Born on August 13, 1997, his passion for theater and sound scoring emerged early. By 2009, he began songwriting, refining his craft throughout high school. Influenced by horror and thriller films, particularly Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. He pursued acting and music technology, earning a degree in 2020. His love for horror Foley led him to explore sound’s role in building suspense.
Rock/Review Jessi Robertson - Dark Matter
Jessi Robertson is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter known for her powerhouse vocals and emotionally raw, genre-bending songs. Blending confessional fire with otherworldly imagination, her work draws comparisons to art-rock visionary Kate Bush, pop-rock icon Stevie Nicks, and indie iconoclast PJ Harvey. Robertson commands a room with songs that are as intimate as confessions and as cathartic as confrontations, her voice shifting from lullaby crooning to a wild rock and roll wail.
Pop/Review Je Bonus - Vaticide (feat. Brian Montanaro)
Je Bonus is a style-blending artist from New England whose sound lives at the crossroads of gritty folk and hip-hop. With raw honesty and a storyteller’s edge, his music speaks to perseverance and connection—a reminder that you are not alone and that it’s always worth chasing what you believe in.
Rock/Review Joseph Schwartz - Ready for Doom
Joseph Schwartz is a Chicago-based artist on a journey to explore new techniques for songwriting and production using synthetic music and vocals. His intention is to create songs that are not bound by a particular sound or genre but are fun to listen to and, even more importantly, spark conversation and emotion.
Hip-Hop/Review JAKEWITHSPACES! - DOPEFUMEMIDI
Emerging from the hazy digital underground, known for bending expectations and pushing the boundaries of beat making, JAKEWITHSPACES! has crafted a sonic realm that feels like surfing through a corrupted hard drive in the middle of a lucid dream. From a parallel internet—where dusty samples, glitched-out MIDI textures, sci-fi aesthetics, and off-centered grooves collide in chaotic harmony.
A New Halloween Classic: ‘Ghoulish Gitdown’ Reanimates the Spirit of Fun
Read More
Hip-Hop/Review John Keenan - Wreckage Of The Past
John Keenan is an independent artist from Arizona by way of Great Bend, Kansas. With a career spanning over two decades, Keenan is known for his lyrical intensity, philosophical honesty, and refusal to conform. “Wreckage Of The Past” is his most personal and politically charged project to date.
Electronic/Review J Eden - Dance Through the Waves
Born and raised in Chicago, J. Eden grew up surrounded by the city’s diverse musical culture, where hip hop, soul, house, and dance music collide. Originally known as Jay Smoove, his early years in music were spent honing his lyrical craft and performing locally, laying the foundation for the versatile artist he would later become.
R&B/Review James Vickery - JAMES.
James Vickery bares his soul in "JAMES.," a bold, self-titled album that redefines his sound. From the cinematic strings of “Hotel Lobby” to the woozy beat of “Higher,” each track showcases his exceptional voice—one he nearly lost due to a life-threatening ear condition. Diagnosed with cholesteatoma at eight, Vickery was left deaf in one ear, but a vocal coach helped him discover his gift.
Hip-Hop/Review J.mar - Dark Days
J.mar, hailing from Spearwood, Australia, is the creative force behind the captivating original single "Dark Days." Collaborating with Megaman Media as the producer, J.mar infuses his music with a unique blend of raw storytelling and sharp wordplay. Born in Madagascar and raised in Perth, J.mar brings a fresh perspective to Aussie hip-hop, combining the gritty essence of Western Australia with his Malagasy roots.
Folk/Review John Jenkins - Restless Hearts
John Jenkins, a veteran of John Peel sessions and ’80s post-punk with The Persuaders and Come in Tokio, has carved a path as a leading singer-songwriter in the UK folk, country, and Americana scene. A master of melody and understated lyricism, his critically acclaimed albums showcase evocative storytelling and deft musicianship, earning him widespread praise from the music press.
Country/Review Judy Paster - Price On My Soul
Nashville-based, Pennsylvania-grown country Americana artist Judy Paster breathes life back into the timeless roots music genre. She has become known for her strong spirit and distinctive style, reminiscent of popular 70s singer/songwriters, with a contemporary edge.
Jazz/Review Jeff Dwyer - Tribute to the Ancestor
Jeff Dwyer was born on May 14, 1946, in Union City, NJ, not far from Hoboken, the birthplace of Frank Sinatra. Jeff’s father, Gerald, sang several times on the local radio station. Jeff remembers his father, who died when Jeff was 11, as having a pleasant light baritone/tenor voice. Jeff used to sing with his father and at age 8 had his first solo in his grade school, singing “White Christmas” as a boy soprano.
Jazz/Review Jaivy - The Garden
Dutch-Indonesian musician Jaivy is a true jazz aficionado who is a triple threat in the world of music; the pianist, producer, and independent artist has been engrossed in music from a young age and has impressively developed his skill set over a long stint in the music scene. Growing up in a music-centered family, Jaivy had a rich musical diet in his childhood with a focus on the sound of 60s and 70s music.
R&B/Review Jermaine Mickey - All This Love
Jermaine Mickey is a Washington, D.C.-born singer, songwriter, and founding member of the R&B group II D Extreme, known for hits like “Cry No More” and “Up On The Roof.” From touring globally to performing on Soul Train and BET, Jermaine brings decades of soul and passion to every note.