Straddling pop and alternative hip-hop, Carl Brave pens songs that are both laid-back and vibrant, joyous and nostalgic. He teamed up with Franco 126 for cuts like “Pellaria”, a slideshow of evocatively rhythmic snapshots of Rome—from the tram to Villa Doria Pamphili. The languorous, horn-flecked “Fotografia”—made alongside singer Francesca Michielin and rapper Fabri Fibra—was an even bigger hit that drew a spotlight to his solo debut Notti Brave. Whether embracing dance-pop or weaving a sax through intimate rap bars, Brave’s stories brim with vulnerability and wit.