It wouldn’t be correct to state that Brooklyn based electronic chanteuse Yes Alexander (who happened to live in Iceland for a long time) has an "icy" voice, but there is definitely an icy quality to her music in general and to her vocal tone in particular. We are premiering here the video for song "Fever," which certainly plays with with the idea of cold both visually and conceptually: a bleak, wintry night becomes a metaphor of the author’s spiritual desolation, caused by love that’s either lost or never found – a love whose warmth is desperately needed: "I need your fever inside me this evening…" The beautiful final scene – some kind of lynchian peep show in the middle of nowhere between lovers unable to communicate – suddenly reveals that one side of the room is missing, opening unexpectedly an entire wall to optimism. To promote the new album "KIANITE," released today, Yes Alexander will bring her heart wrenching cold wave on tour in the next month and a half.

Here at The Deli NYC we are delighted to announce that Boston’s insane avant-punk group Guerrilla Toss, winners our Deli New England’s Best Emerging Artist of 2012 poll, recently relocated to NYC and just announced the release of their album "Eraser Stargazer," scheduled for a March release on DFA records. Although this is a debut in the LP format, the band has been remarkably productive since they started releasing music in 2012, accumulating ten records between EPs and singles. Their music is not for everybody, but those who happen to enjoy Bushwick’s night life and seek really noisy and experimental party music might have found a new hero: Guerrilla Toss’s post-post-punk is the essence of uncompromising, but absolutely exhilarating, DIY fun, that’s at once bodily and brainy. Check out the preview single "Diamond Girls" from the upcoming LP. Sorry Deli New England!

On February 26, Brooklyn’s pop masters Ski Lodge will release their six track "New Life" EP digitally and as a limited edition tape. The band unveiled two preview singles, "Crush Your Heart" and "Heaven is Now" (both streaming below), featuring heavy references to the new wave sound of the ’80s – we hear in particular moments bringing to mind The Cure and The Smiths. This new, darker sound, was a result of songwriter Andrew Marr radically changing his compositional and arranging process: “Recording in my home studio – explains Marr – using synths, drum machines and samples for the first time, I was opened up a world that helped me develop new and darker sonic textures.” 

Last week we started publishing the results of the Best of NYC Year End Poll’s Open Submissions (find them here), and it’s finally time to go indie poppy!

Total submissions in this category: 16

Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC),  Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), PDG (The Deli NYC).

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

1. The City and Horses – 7.33 (out of 10)

Active since the late aughts, The City and Horses is a collective of musicians guided by singer songwriter Marc Cantone and his elegant melodic talent. The variety of instruments featured in their recordings (from flute to strings and horns) will make most people scream "Orchestral Pop!" – and to some extent they would be right! Thing is, the band’s arrangements are so tastefully composed that, while listening to their music, you’d be hard pressed to think about an orchestra. You can see the band live at Grand Victory on January 22.

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2. Silverteeth – 7.16

Led by NYC scene veteran Bill Bartholomew (guitar and vocals) and Brazilian bass player Gabriela Rassi, Silverteeth is an excercise in stripping pop of anything superfluous to let the melody and the songwriting shine. Operating in a strictly DIY fashion, this is one of the few bands able to land gigs both at Bowery Presents’ venues (they’ll play Mercury on February 9th) and at Brooklyn DIY spaces like Palisades. We should hear some new material from them soon, since they were recently invited to record a few tracks at Converse’s Rubber Track.

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3. RANN – 7.00

With their refineded sound, stylish melodies and smooth vocals, RANN could be presented as the Prefab Sprout of Brooklyn. Their brand new debut album "Yellowgun" looks back at the so called sophisti-pop of the ’80s, while adding to that sound an all NYC edge. The group doesn’t shy away from occasional, more aggressive and tense moments (like in ‘Magic Number‘). They’ll be playing at Bushwick’s Black Bear on February 20th.

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3. Julian Fulton – 7.00

Imaginative and whimsical, New Jersey’s Julian Fulton plays a brand of DIY pop that flirts with the classics of psychedelia, while bringing his own voice, stories and production to the picture. A picture that’s as multifaceted as it’s enjoyable, like his latest track "Another Tattoo," a complex collage of sounds and melodies in part reminiscent of the production style of the early Beck records, which, remarkably, was written and recorded at home in 24 hours.  Julian Fulton will perform at the Asbury Underground Music & Arts Crawl on January 16.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (artist with a rating above 6):

Dot and Logic, Kirsten Izer, Sam Kogon, flocke, Late Cambrian, Lunifred Benjamin, Modern Diet.

Stay tuned for more results!

The Deli Folks

Punk rock isn’t the first genre that comes to mind when you think of deeper lyrical content. That particular sound is usually about reaction and feel, most often rage or at the very least, discontent. A quick perusal of Brooklyn based Sketchy’s song titles, however show clever minds at work. Opening track “The Thinkiest Guy In Thinktown,” off of their debut full length album “I Wanted This To Go Different,” hits like prime era Replacements only with growly melodic vocals. Classic dual guitars pair Johnny Ramone hyper-speed strummed chords and hook-heavy single note riffs. “Whiskey Nostalgia” (streaming) thunders along like a college frat theme song where all the pledges have been given amped up electric guitars, after listening to hours of The Clash. “I Wrote A Suicide Note” is a quick minute and a half burst, sharing kinship with LA punk pioneers Social Distortion’s seminal debut album “Mommy’s Little Monster.” The cleverly titled “Someone Else’s Hook” succinctly references rock music’s overall recycled nature, wrapping it in a sound style reminiscent of early Weezer. For som fun and loud times, see Sketchy at The Grand Victory in Brooklyn on January 30. – Dave Cromwell

Psychpop stalwarts James Supercave have announced that they were nearing completion on the highly anticipated debut LP Better Strange. The trio, led by Joaquin Pastor, has been drumming up the release since their last show at The Echo (which we covered, by the way) with film teasers. Now they’ve announced a tour with Austin’s psych southern rock The Bright Light Social Hour. The tour starts three days from now in El Paso, Texas — Pastor and the gang will make their way through the Southwest and up to Seattle before the end of the month, see below for tour dates and locations. James Supercave’s debut LP Better Strange is out February 12 — vinyl pre-orders now available through Origami Vinyl. – Ryan Mo

1.16 El Paso, TX @The Lowbrow Palace

1.17 Phoenix, AZ @Crescent Ballroom

1.20 San Diego, CA @Soda Bar

1.21 Los Angeles, CA @The Echo

1.23 San Francisco, CA @The Chapel

1.27 Eugene, OR @The WOW Hall

1.28 Portland, OR @Mississippi Studios

1.29 Seattle, WA @Tractor Tavern