Only a powerful musical chemistry can explain how two musicians separated by an ocean can decide to form a band. Copenhagen-based Anna Lidell and NYC’s Katy Gunn formed Teenage Love when they met in NYC during Anna’s first trip to the US. The two preview singles from their upcoming debut EP combine quirky vocal harmonies, violin melodies and electronic elements in a way vaguely reminiscent of Dirty Projectors, with a slightly less jazzy/experimental inclination. Check out "Gold," streaming below, and the more recent Teenage Fanclub cover of "Sia – Chandelier."

I think we can all agree about the fact that age is very important in rock’n’roll; we might not like that (we don’t) but we can agree about it, right? Therefore, a good rock song is bound to get some added value when it’s written and performed by four musicians in their (not so late) teens. And then, if you also realize that the band has a solid six track debut EP with no fillers under their belt, things start to get really interesting: records without fillers are rare at any age… The band in question is NYC’s Dolly Spartans; their self titled debut fluctuates between pop punk exuberance (‘We’ll say that for now,’ streaming below, and ‘ ‘Don’t You Know‘) and more tamed melodic moments reminiscent of a dirtier Vampire Weekend (‘Who Are You,’) or even of sacred monsters like The Beatles and their beloved disciples XTC (‘Something on my Mind‘). The band’s sound features the right amount of rawness (think early Pixies), which gets tamed at least in part by songwriter and lead singer’s Michael Eliran tenor, that sounds way more mature than his years. The range of the six tracks, the actual songwriting, and the maturity of the arrangements is truly impressive for such a young band, and make this is one of the most consistently fun NYC made record we heard in a while. Hopefully these guys’ sound won’t get too polished too soon!

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

SOB’s Sol Village is New York City’s longest-running R&B/Soul music showcase, and it’s turning 10 this year (happy anniversary, The Deli is also 10!). The event’s organizers have built a solid reputation for breaking new artists within those genres, booking early gigs for John Legend, Musiq Soulchild, Luke James, Bridget Kelly, Allen Stone, and Emily King among others. The next featured performer at Sol Village is New York (via Ohio) soul-pop singer songwriter Tangina Stone, who released her debut EP The Fall about one year ago. Check out her popular single Suntan, streaming below.

Brooklyn’s Life Size Map, a band that merges 8 bit rock with melodic vocals and shoegazey tendencies, is releasing today their self-titled debut album on Old Flame Records. Check out the two preview singles from the new record ("All Been Spent" and "Parasol Life") streaming below. Life Size Maps will head on a short east coast tour with LA’s Gothic Tropic and then return to Brooklyn to celebrate the record release with a show at Baby’s All Right on May 1st.

It’s rare to find music that’s incredibly intense and creative at once, maybe because musicians interested in intensity tend to stick with traditional genres, while those attracted by originality often settle for "quirky fun," or are too cerebral to let things get emotional. But 21 year old NYC songwriter Elliot Moss is getting a lot of buzz with self-produced songs that are both moody and sonically interesting. His breakout single "Slip," with its bare edginess and vocoded vocals, almost comes across as a soulful, updated version of Laurie Anderson’s "O Superman," while other preview singles from the artist’s upcoming album (due later in the year) showcase busier programmed landscapes, and a soul singer with seriously sulky inclinations. Check out "Best Light" below, and don’t miss Elliot’s upcoming show at Baby’s All Right on 04.29.

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