Packing a 30-minute, electric ukelele-fueled emotional punch, the debut self-titled album from It Was Romance shows a band with confidence, character and promising talent. The first single, "Philadelphia," is an emotionally revealing song, telling in just under three minutes the story of a love strained by distance. Singer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder Lane Moore’s velvety voice saunters around the doo wop rhythm section and the gritty distorted guitars, providing a unique contrast to the sad subject matter of the lyrics and delivering a song fit for your summer playlist. Her unselfconscious performance in the single’s video (streaming) adds an extra layer of paradox and fun. The quintet released their debut in May, you can catch them live on July 28 when they perform at the Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. – Patrick Wolff

Last year’s album, ‘Kotekan‘, (with highlight "Low Blind" streaming below) proved Half Waif (pictured) as forceful, otherworldly music experience. Her ethereal vocals and the spiritual synth pop sound are a welcome, soothing break from all the loud garage-rock coming out of Brooklyn right now. Half Waif is the project of Nandi Rose Plunkett, a Brooklyn native, who also performs in NJ mellow indie rock band, Pinegrove. Catch them both playing the last of a series of shows together this Friday the 17th at Shea Stadium. – Sam O’Hara

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

There’s nothing strange about loving DC-based (Stop Worrying and) Love the Bomb’s gripping punk chords, throaty vocals, and drumming worthy of aerial imitation. Featuring both female and male pipes at the mic, SWALTB’s sound is heavily influenced by the heyday of historic punk venue CBGB and reaches out to the eardrums with end-of-the-world lyrics and slick transitions from tantalizing guitar solos to meaty choruses. Their six-track LP released back in January, “Nouns,” is sure to please any fan of punk or the band’s self-carved niche of proto-post-revival. Treat your brain on 8/16 at the Black Cat to some top-tier punk. – Jonathan Goodwin

DC based artist DÉVÅZ released his first EP this May titled "Narcissist". The sound is lush and mysterious, sometimes pulling samples from unlikely sonic-pals Ariana Grande, Drake, Charles Manson, Billie Holiday, Interpol, Anna Kendrick, and Iggy Pop (to name a few) into a foggy, paranoid brew. This is a mix for the listener who likes their house music in the context of a psychological thriller (or maybe an H.P. Lovecraft narrative guessing from the aesthetic of the album art). Though washed and ambient in structure, the beats keep this twisted story on fast, nimble feet from beginning to end. We’re looking forward to further releases and hoping this newcomer will start DJing some of our local haunts. 

– Leora Mandel

Active since the beginning of the decade, NYC born and bred synth pop duo Holy Ghost has been able not only to remain relevant in an ever changing musical scene, but also to deliver new memorable singles with every new release. Their songs showcase two accomplished songwriters, something quite rare among electronic musicians. Their latest record ‘Work for Hire’ is a collection of remixes of songs by bands ranging from Phoenix to Blood Orange. Our sister blog Delicious Audio interviewed one half of the project Nick Millhiser about their creative process and what seems to be their main font of inspiration: synths. Check out their latest single "Okay," streaming below.

READ THE INTERVIEW WITH HOLY GHOST.