This post was updated Aug. 1 at 5:54 p.m. This time around, Billie Eilish is happier than ever. The long-awaited sophomore record of the young artist comes after her Grammy-award-winning debut album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” While its predecessor opted for a mostly darker electro-pop sound to complement its thematically heavy nature, “Happier Than Ever” strikes a balance in simultaneously softening and sharpening her edges. Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of Darkroom/Interscope Records)

This post was updated July 18 at 4:47 p.m. Four years after “Pretty Girl” ignited an early music career for a teenage Claire Cottrill, “Sling” finds the singer embracing maturity and pondering upon maternal ideals. Read more...

Photo: (courtesy of Clairo Records)

This post was updated July 11 at 1:29 p.m. Almost three years after his last record, Long Beach emcee Vince Staples has returned. He brings with him “Vince Staples,” a 10-track album that recounts the 28-year-old rapper’s tumultuous, danger-riddled upbringing as he attempts to navigate the present-day trials of being a successful artist who came from very little. Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of Universal Music Group)

This post was updated July 11 at 10:08 a.m. As rising temperatures melt away winter stagnation, up-and-coming artists are on fire. Summer is the season of vibrance, and sunny days are accompanied by new musicians who will grow even brighter, evading a later autumnal fade. Read more...

Photo: (Katelyn Dang/Illustrations director)