“Lovers are inside each of us, fighting and crooning. Reflections are outside of us, reversed versions of the self. . . I feel like these are the themes that haunt my music. Plus it’s just pretty.” –Regan Rebecca

At first blush, Lovers and Reflections first album Swords conjures nostalgia for the adventurous 80’s new wave and pop. One can’t help but hear Kate Bush and Elizabeth Frazier in Regan Rebecca’s vocals, or the sounds of bands like Soft Cell and the Switchblade Sisters in Chris Moore’s production. In most of the promotional material, and in other write-ups, names like Depeche Mode and Madonna are dropped. When I first listened to it I was struck by the apparent breadth of influences, seemingly pulling from every corner of 80’s synth-pop, and combining those sounds with a vocal style that, these days, is usually reserved for more reverb and delay-heavy guitar music. Though the 80’s feel of Swords is undeniable, while interviewing the band I realize that there is more to their artistic ambition than simply returning to and recombining the sounds, vocal and synth, of that decade. Continue reading…

I’m not sure what you said… but Big Ups (who made our Best of Emerging NYC artists list for the 2nd year in a row) is pissed off. Maybe not at you, but definitely at things like fresh meat and crappy basses too (at least according to their facebook). The band is probably one of the most ambitious screaming punk acts this side of the Hudson, basically clamoring to knock the doors off of any and all venues (and will probably sleep on your couch while they’re at it too). But don’t worry. These guys are so much fun, you won’t even mind getting hit by a sweat bomb or two when you see them play Shea Stadium on Wednesday, April 10th.

For those who don’t find the 80s electro-cheese backlash particularly riveting, NYC trio Cascading Slopes may be a more interesting (and stylish) electronic alternative. A project started by The Drums’ keyboardist Jacob Graham, Cascading Slopes is a "purist’s project" (not even samples are allowed in their tracks) that doesn’t distance itself from the pop format, but approaches it with a minimalistic attitude that references the rigorous German ancestors of the genre, rather than the many artists who climbed the charts in the 80s with their baroque tunes. See them live at Cameo on April 27.

This track was added to our SoundCloud playlist of emerging electronic NYC artists here.

As far as backstories go, The Dust Engineers have a rather unique one. Originally conceived by Zachary Meyer as the fictional home recordings of an imaginary South Dekotan teenager, The Dust Engineers’ are in fact a five-piece project based out of NYC. Teaming up with Sara Maeder, Erik Rosenbuerg, Jared Harel, and Ryan Egan, the band debuted as more than fantasy in 2011. Their brand of lo-fi roots rock with 90’s lo-fi influences gives them the sort of nostalgia and charm that would make their original backstory seem plausible, and in a way their music brings it to life. See them live at Rockwood Music Hall on April 19. – Read Devon Antonetti’s interview with the band here.

This track was added to our SoundCloud playlist of emerging NYC artists here.

New York based avant-indie band, DT ROTBOT are slated to perform twice in NYC this month. On April 8th, they will play Glasslands with Camadrone & Snark and Marble Fawn for an evening of super strange music to drink and sway to. On April 12th, DT ROTBOT will perform their compositional tales of love and woe, as they play “Two Song Cycles”, both of which are musical reenactments or interpretations of the classic stories of "A Place in the Sun" and "House of Mirth" at New York University. DT ROTBOT is an out of the box, and completely unique band.

You’re going to want to check them out. If you’re a DIY art house scene type of person check out Glasslands, and if you prefer a more intellectual environment, enjoy the free show at NYU. – @lovejordannah