I love hearing music I’ve never heard before. But as a single parent of two kids, I don’t get out much and most of the music I’m exposed to on a daily basis is of the “yo’ bootie, my grille” genre. That’s great for bustin’ a move, but most of my moves are in the closet collecting dust with my platform shoes and polyester shirts, as they should be.

Until recently, if I wanted to find something beyond the top 40, I would open up iTunes and begin to browse. Yeah, a bit limited, but what did I know? Not much, evidently. Turns out there’s a whole universe of music online if you are willing to look for it, from all parts of the globe and in genres I didn’t even know existed. (Can you honestly say you’d heard of shoegaze?)

Let’s start with Hindi Zahra. Sounding like the musical child of Django Rheinhardt and Billie Holiday, the Paris-based Hindi is a captivating musician. Her song “Tango” is a revelation—simple yet sophisticated, sparse yet emotive. It’s fresh even while it reverberates with history. This style continues in “Oursoul” and “Try.” “The Light” adds a touch of hip-hop and soul influence, retaining the simple, downbeat understatement of her other songs while adding an almost ethereal quality. Hindi Zahra’s music is not yet available to buy, so for now, unless you visit Paris, you can only find it online. Check her out at www.myspace.com/zahrahindi.

A little closer to home is the Boston singer/songwriter Jordan Carp (www.jordancarp.com). Carp is a real craftsman. His songs are intelligent creations, combining rich, jazz-influenced chords, intricate melodic lines and thoughtful lyrics that will appeal to fans of Dave Matthews, John Mayer or even Sting. Add a smoky voice with traces of Peter Gabriel and you have someone who likely will not be unknown for much longer. “Walking at Night” and “Simple Pleasures” from Carp’s soon-to-be-released album “The Dark Architecture” are grown-up reflections that exemplify pop music at its best.

Hank Williams once said, “You’ve had to survey a lot of farm land over the back-side of a mule to be a good country singer.” I don’t know about mules and farmland, but Sarah Jaffe has surveyed a lot of life, and when she sings, you feel it. A mere 20 years old, the Texas native writes and sings like she’s looking back on 60 years of heartache. It’s gritty and honest—think Lucinda Williams, but with a directness and vulnerability reminiscent of a young Joni Mitchell. “Lover Girl” took my breath away the first time I heard it, and “Not Like You Did Me” will simply break your heart. Jaffe is so damned good I run the risk of gushing every time I describe her. So just go listen to her music at www.myspace.com/sjaffe and, with Austin Berge, at www.myspace.com/tomahawkmolly. You can thank me later.