Fire Records signs Okkyung Lee, a cellist, composer, and improviser who moves freely between artistic disciplines and contingencies. A native of South Korea, Lee has taken a broad array of inspirations—including noise, improvisation, jazz, western classical, and the traditional and popular music of her homeland—and used them to forge a highly distinctive approach.

It's some week when you can celebrate the signing of not one, but two unique and unstoppable talents. Californian songwriter Marina Allen surfs many musical tangents; her voice hovers and persists, floats and, only when entirely necessary, stings with honesty and aplomb.