Enigmatic indie R&B singer Allan Rayman has managed to keep a shadowy profile during his brief music career. After casually dropping a strangely alluring self-released LP called Hotel Allan in 2015, the Lost Springs, Wyoming native racked up an impressive amount of plays, thanks largely to word of mouth and a series of mysterious videos that play like short films. Based out of Toronto, Rayman maintained his cryptic presence on stage as well, singing soulfully to either pre-recorded tracks or minimal instrumentation, then sitting at a small onstage table sipping a drink between songs while eerie pre-recorded messages play over the P.A. In spite of his low profile, Rayman built a loyal following who eagerly received his second missive, Roadhouse 01, a similarly strange mix of R&B, soul, hip-hop, and folk that chronicles an alter ego called Mr. Roadhouse. It was released in early 2017 via Mumford & Sons member Ben Lovett's Communion Records. ~ Timothy Monger