Fin-Folsom are a musical trio from Brookyln who describe their sound as Animal Pop, and when you listen to "Ruins+Rituals," the band’s latest EP, you realize that the obscure genre identification couldn’t be more accurate. The songs, which are a collection of "character adventures" set in and around New York City, feature harsh-yet-beautiful vocals, wild and unrelenting rhythms, and guitar lines that are as sharp and angular as a lion’s tooth, or in other words, a bit animalistic. This isn’t to say that they sound rough or aggressive. In fact, the songs on the record have a rather stripped down and refined quality that produces a warm atmosphere, perhaps enough to keep your summer going just a little bit longer. The trio consists of Conor Walsh, Joshua Gottesman, and Jeremy Nakamura, who attended college together, graduated, ang began playing music following their return to NYC. They released their first EP in 2013 and have been performing and writing songs ever since. Speaking of performances, Fin-Folsom will be at Cake Shop on November 16 so be sure to check them out. – Patrick Wolff

The ethereal voice of McKenzie Ellis, aka Mothica, floats like a disembodied spirit over the haunting melodies and gloomy beats of her self-produced tracks, generating an aura of soothing melancholy that has drawn over 11,000 followers to her Soundcloud. The Brooklyn-by-way-of-Oklahoma songstress found her way into the world of music by accident while studying to be a web programmer, and it was certainly a fortuitous event. Besides producing her own tracks and preparing to release her debut EP within the next few months, Ellis also collaborates with a wide range of other artists, recently having lent her skills to a collaboration with Hip-Hop artist Mayo and electronic artist and recent NYC arrival Beshken, which found its way to the front page of iTunes’ New Artists list. One of her most popular tracks, "Trying 2 Say" (streaming below), is a song that manages to convey a deep sense of frustrated yearning with only a minute and a half of somber beats and Ellis’ melancholic delivery. Mothica’s debut performance will be taking place tomorrow, September 11, at Palisades. Don’t miss out! – Patrick Wolff

Fairytales For The Fatherless is a folk, Brooklyn-based, band that, despite their name, sounds like a harmonious family of bohemians; Led by Danny Musengo, whose voice is both pastoral and arresting, the six-member band utilizes each musician to create a momentous and deeply affecting sound. FFTF wrote their debut, self-titled EP as a whole with four movements and asks first-time listeners to listen to all four tracks, 16 minutes of music, from beginning to end. Over instrumentals of intricate guitar picking and violin melodies that flutter with a resounding sadness, FFTF lyrics tackle the hardships and quandaries of life. “Do you get nervous like I do?,” Musengo asks. It’s not difficult to relate. The band will perform at The Deli’s CMJ Roots Stage at Rockwood Music Hall on 10.14. – Isabel Rolston

Unapologetically rough around the edges, Feral Foster takes roots music back to its truest roots: a lone man with an acoustic guitar tenaciously informing us about his rough lifestyle. (Yes we wish we could say "man/woman" in that sentence, but when blues began, women were more inclined to be involved artistically in gospel choirs or vaudeville blues groups, rather than in the busking lifestyle of the early delta bluesmen. The man has just released this new vcideo for single "New World Blues."

Feral Foster – New World Blues from Horatio Baltz on Vimeo.

Brooklyn’s retro electronic duo The Fantastic Plastics aren’t nearly nerdy enough to sound like Devo, though we appreciate their obsession with the visual side of that band. They treat Devo the way Warhol treated Campbell’s Soup – like a brand. Sure, Devo was once anarchical and dangerous, but now they’re not. There’s something cheeky about Fantastic Plastics, especially having this cute pixie chick run around in dresses shaped like Devo helmets. Their cool eye for urbanism and design blends a love of kitsch with a hatred for commercialism. You can see them live at Pianos this Saturday 09.12, when they’ll be celebrating the release of their new EP entitled "Devolver" – look out for a video installation and a "graphic novel." – Brian Chidester