(((O)))

CRITIC’S PICK: If this is your first time reading about the artist called (O), you’re probably wondering who she is and how the hell you’re supposed to pronounce her name. If so, the joke’s on you because (O)’s — born June Marieezy — stage name is intentionally unpronounceable. In a rather subversive, anticapitalist, and arguably self-sabotaging move, (O) chose to represent her artistic identity in a pure and egoless fashion, even if it means giving fans hell when they’re searching for her on streaming platforms. Don’t let that stop you, however, because (O)’s consistent annual album output — which she calls moondrops — over the last four years have been utterly captivating. Her experimental and transcendent sound flirts with R&B, pop, lo-fi rap, and soul motifs, but there’s no denying that (O)’s music, like her name, is incomparable and indefinable. She’s currently based in the Phillipines, so take advantage of her upcoming North American tour and see the enigmatic artist live for yourself. — Joshua Robinson