The Deli came up with the word "Avant-Indie" about a decade ago, and it’s proud of the fact that it stuck (at least to a certain degree!). The term was coined mostly because we didn’t feel comfortable using the loaded word ‘experimental’ for edgy indie bands. Also, since at the time NYC was experiencing an explosion of music that was truly pushing the envelope, we felt the need to create a word that could define that movement, which ended up giving us artists as relevant as Animal Collective, St. Vincent and Dirty Projectors, as separate from ‘regular indie rock.’ Rather heavy on the ear, those years were naturally followed by a period during which simpler musical revivals dominated our scene: the roots invasion of the early ’10s, the never obsolete garage rock NYC flavor, the ’80s synth-pop revival, the 90’s rock renaissance…). But ‘avant’ inclinations are ingrained in the Big Apple’s scene, and we are wondering if times are mature to give a renewed attention to acts that try their hardest to avoid the revival label. Brooklyn’s Twig Twig squarely belong to this category. Their debut EP ‘normal feelings,’ released this past March, doesn’t sound very… ‘normal,’ but still manages to be touching and sincere, and that’s a rare form of beauty. Employing a restrained sonic palette made of granular synth sounds, aloof vocals, and simple electronic drum sounds and patterns, the band excercises their ‘avant’ tendencies within a song format that employs melodies ranging from the poppy (like in remarkable ambient ballad ‘Fade Away,’ streaming) to the out there (as in single ‘Talk Go‘). Don’t miss their live show at Alphaville tonight (04.12) with other local forward looking bands Fieldings and Railings.

We have often pointed out how ladies (at least in NYC) appear to be slowly but surely taking over the electronic music scene – in particular its poppier current. A good example of this will be on display this coming Wednesday (04.13), when Mothica, Ela Minus, and Brooklyn born Lily McQueen (pictured) will be sharing the stage of Lower East Side’s Pianos. Of the three ladies on this bill, we’ll focus our attention on the one we’ve never covered before, Lily McQueen, whose debut, self titled and co-produced EP came out in mid 2015. In it, we hear musical and lyrical references to that particular kind of melodic electronic music of the ’80s that made its way into many popular teenage blockbusters of the time, but also some world music influences, as evident in our favorite single ‘You Are Not Read for My Love’ – streaming below.

DC’s indie-folk maestros Wylder released their debut album, Rain and Laura, yesterday, 4/8. It’s a beautiful journey of feeling, of clarity, of unlocking doors. This LP features supreme string work by Lavar Edmonds, carefully inserted in the tracks and adding the right emotional weight needed to rather somber progressions. All throughout, the ensemble strikes a plucky yet seasoned chord, expressing intimate emotion through gentle lead vocals and mandolin and held together by the drum work, acoustic guitar, and keys. The album is harmonic gold, blending lighthearted and earnest, wrapped in a bow tie of folk and indie vibes. Join the band on 4/22 at the Rock and Roll Hotel for their release party and take a journey of feeling by listening to this album. -Jonathan Goodwin