NYC

Best of NYC 2014 – Open Submission Results for HIP HOP + OTHER

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On Martin Luther King Jr.’s day it seems more than appropriate to publish the Open Submissions results of a category dominated by African American and Jamaican musicians, i.e. the HIP HOP + OTHER category (where "other stands mostly for R’n’B, Reggae, and Afrobeat. These are genres that are getting more and more space in The Deli, also because NYC’s Hip Hop, after a few years of "stagnation" seems to be going through some sort of reinassance.

Total submissions in this category: 11

Jurors: Travis Leipzig (The Deli Portland), Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC), Paolo De Gregorio (The Deli NYC).

Artists qualified to the next stage (i.e. the Readers’ Poll, starting around 01.20):

1. Morning Sun + The Essentials (Reggae) – 8


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2. Mike Wilson (Hip Hop) – 7.75


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Honorable Mentions (score above 7):

George Grant and The Mighty Templars, Ajo, Reggie Mills, Justin Morelli.

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More results on their way.

The Deli’s Staff

San Francisco

The Final Days of SoMa’s Supperclub Hosts DAYBREAKER

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Are you a morning person? It’s pretty standard to go out late in the evening and party until the first few hours of the morning, but how about heading out to a party at 6 am? SoMa’s Supperclub will be hosing DAYBREAKER: The Last Supper Edition.

DAYBREAKER is a morning movement that will start your day off unlike anything else. It is about being in the here and now, surrounded by amazing people, beautiful music, and an incredible vibe. It is about dancing your face off before work and feeling gloriously healthy while doing so. It is about love, it is about mindfulness, and it is about mischief.

This event starts at 7:30 am tomorrow morning. It’s a holiday, so hit the bed early and check out one of Supperclub’s final events!

NYC

Brooklyn Synth Pop trio on the rise: Prinze George plays Mercury on 02.10

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In just about one year, Brooklyn based synth pop trio Prinze George has been churning out a series of singles that have been gathering a lot of attention through the internet, before the band had a national touring presence or an official release (soundcloud seems particularly effective in promoting electronic singles, also thanks to the sharing algorhythms concocted by sites like hypem.com). In 2014, single Victor went on to gather half a million plays, while other most recent tracks didn’t do too shabbily either, with around 100k plays each. Our favorite song is mid tempo electronic ballad "Make Me" (streaming below), which beautifully blends space soul-pop with very light ragga influences, in a way reminiscent of a more gentle (and Caucasian) Santigold. Check out also brand new single Upswing, and see the band live at Mercury on February 10.

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best Mellow Pop songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

NYC

Chamber Pop NYC sextet Mappa Mundi celebrates EP release at Rockwood on 01.24

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In 2010, NYC composer Adam Levine’s chamber pop brainchild Mappa Mundi released a charming six track EP (we used to call anything above four tracks "mini-albums" until a few years ago) featuring gentle songs ripe with Americana influences. After five years (spent, we guess, writing new songs and then making sense of the overwhelming number of tracks a sextet can record for each song) the project is finally releasing a sophomore EP/mini-album entitled "At Sea," – another six track effort (lucky number?). Judging from opening track and single "So Obscure" (streaming here) the band has developed the sound in more luscious ways, refining their orchestral sound in a way that perfectly complement Levine’s intense and impassioned lirycs. The release of "At Sea" will be celebrated at Rockwood Music Hall on January 24.

Philadelphia

The Districts “Pop-up” Show & More

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The Districts are gearing up for the release of their forthcoming full-length album A Flourish and a Spoil on February 10 via Fat Possum. They already closed out last year with a not-so-secret-show opening for mewithouYou (a.k.a. Thy Foes Profanely Rage) at the First Unitarian Church, under their alias Eight Legged Prawn. Tonight, The Districts will be doing a "pop-up" show for about 25 or so fans (guest list closed) that will double as a recording session with Out of Town Films. They also recently revisited HotBox Studios to re-capture a bit of magic that was found on their viral video for "Funeral Beds" so expect plenty of live versions of songs from the group’s new LP to be rolling out in the coming months.

Toronto

LOWLANDS

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Lowlands radiates appalachian sound with a medley of folk players that  deliver front porch medicine.  Their latest album, Huron tells road stories with power and emotion. Their sound rolls down mountains with spirited and genuine vocals, banjo twangs and a prancing fiddle that chatters to a whispering peel steel and acoustic guitar. “Wonderful Hearts” will  put you at ease with nostalgic vocals that  bend and echo into harmonies with love. It then stops… speeds up and deepens into a  charming dirt stomp, with a chanting hook and unforgettable pedal steel as the drums signal with maritime regiment. Let  their sounds roll over you with reminiscence. Stay tuned for new tour dates in 2015.

Philadelphia

New Video: “Plymouth” (Live) – Strand of Oaks

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Strand of Oaks, a.k.a. Timothy Showalter, performed a stirring solo version of his song "Plymouth," off his latest album HEAL (Dead Oceans). It was recorded by Ace Hotel late last year in the lobby of their NYC location. Strand of Oaks is currently on a Midwestern tour, and will be making the rounds at festivals this summer with appearances at Bonnaroo, Governors Ball, and Hangout already announced.

Nashville

Show Alerts: ELEL at The High Watt 1.19

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2015 looks like it is going to be the year year for ELEL. With their upcoming debut album to be released on Mom + Pop records and a list of dates ahead of them, it looks like some of the good vibes ELEL has been hashing out are boomeranging back to them. While we might be satisfied listening to “40 Watt” ad nauseum, we’re excited that there is more on the horizon, and we will not be surprised as the rest of the world starts freaking out over them too. The 8-piece are capping off a recent run with lo-fi pop outfit Generationals with a show at The High Watt this Monday, January 19th. –Terra James-Jura

Philadelphia

New Track: “Hem” – Rosu Lup

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It’s one of those days where you should just stay inside and hide out from the rain. Here’s a new single to curl up with from local indie-folk outfit Rosu Lup called "Hem." It was recorded at Miner Street Recordings, and was produced by Lou Rogai (of Lewis & Clarke). Rosu Lup will be performing this Tuesday, January 20 at World Cafe Live.

Austin

ManoftheDown Makes Beats that Are Ready to Break Out

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Our Artist of the Month poll is just about wrapped, and as of this post, the pack leader is an Austin beatmaker that goes by ManoftheDown, also known as Man-of-the-Downtrodden also known as MoTD. Hell let’s be straight, this guy has led the poll from a few minutes after it was dropped until this point. And we have some sick contenders in this list.

There’s not a lot surprising in the fact that people dig ManoftheDown’s sound, a complex production that uses some real nice instrumental samplin’ and slacks not one bit on the melody side of things either. Bass comes in huge, with ManoftheDown creator Eli Good putting his own signature spin on it that makes it feel fresh and fine like good bass should. Few moments are left to just be a plain beat in these tracks; Good’s always tossin’ in something new, messin’ with the mix, doin’ some Aphex Twin style breaks fuckery to play around in your eardrums and lock in the Good Feeling. You’ve heard beat music, and yeah sometimes there’s not a lot to differentiate one guy from the next, even if it’s pretty good shit. ManoftheDown leaves me with none of those doubts or nitpicks. The beats here grip ya, ya start noddin’ your head, and you just ride it all the way down to the last second with a smile. We make good beats here in Austin. ManoftheDown makes some of the best, and there ain’t much that can be said against that. If y’like what you hear here (and if y’dont, an ENT doctor might not be a bad idea), get more over at ManoftheDown’s Soundcloud page or Facebook page, where he’s a fairly frequent poster.

 

Philadelphia

NAH & I IM EYE MY at Cha-Cha’Razzi Jan. 17

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Mike Kuhn (of 1994!), a.k.a. NAH, hits you with a surprise attack of combative style hip hop. Seemingly using everything in his arsenal, NAH is a noise-oriented jolt to the nervous system. It’s unpredictable nature circulates adrenaline, while the heavy percussive techniques shake you into submission. There’s a particular edge associated with the unknown, as though anything can emerge around the bend. Tonight, at South Philly’s Cha-Cha’Razzi, I IM EYE MY the creative pairing of Sean Hamilton (Spacin’, ex-Acid Kicks) and Al Creedon (ex-Bleeding Rainbow) will continue their experimental endeavor, developing flowing textures of sound and erecting a living, breathing body of music destined for a place one’s never been but is enticed to see first hand. The jarring post-punk blast of Kerosene as well as Naked Pyramid’s laboratory of psych tones set the pace for a show that invites you in without fully telling you what’s behind the door. Cha-Cha’Razzi (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 8pm, $6-$8, All Ages – Michael Colavita