Sixties garage and seventies power-pop are ubiquitous these days, in particular in the NYC scene. Jersey City’s Low Doses (who made the list of our best emerging Revival Pop/Rock NYC Artists of 2015) play them straightforward, deviating little; they rely on catchy hooks, hand-claps, and lines like “If I could, you know I would stop thinking about you” to subvert the modern cynic and be idiosyncratic. It works. The band has two shows at the Monty Hall scheduled on July 16th. – Dave Cromwell

In the spring of 2015 we got really into Nigerian, NYC based electronic-soul chanteuse Oyinda‘s debut EP ‘Before the Fall‘ (single ‘What Still Remains" in particular). After a few months spent under the radar, Oyinda re-emerged in early 2016 with a string of shows and two new tracks that, again, marry her soulful vocals with moody, edgy electronic arrangements. Our favorite one is ‘Never Enough’ (streamiing below), a complex, dark and tense downtempo featuring antithetical elements like experimental programming and call and response vocals. More recent single ‘Flatline‘ – as suggested by the title – is a more linear R’n’B ballad. Both songs will be included in Oyinda’s upcoming EP ‘Restless Minds,’ out on June 10th.

It doesn’t seem too often that a band today tackles the dissolution not of a romance but of a friendship. That is just what Brooklyn self-described “folk music band meets ensemble” Goldfeather does, however, on “Spilled Milk” (streaming below), the bluegrass-girded lead single off its forthcoming debut LP ‘Patchwork Quilt.’ Starting with choral swells that perhaps lament the story of friends come and gone that follows, the poignant (even in its title) track is striking and laudable in its potentially underused subject matter: the aching absence of a one-time confidante. ‘Patchwork Quilt’ is scheduled for a September 2016 release, and Goldfeather is scheduled to play Park Slope’s Barbes on June 9th. – Zach Weg 

Don’t let their name fool you too much. The Southern Belles doesn’t feature any women, but their sound is no less sweet. In fact, this Richmond-based jam band is downright awesome, displaying a greaat latitude for blending genres. Their most recent album, which dropped a year ago, is filled with a primordial stew of funk, soul, roots, blues, rock, and Americana, capturing all that’s good about musical styles that originated in the States. The vocals and keys synergize really well, creating a noteworthy, mesmerizing melody. Their next show is at The Camel, 6/3, and they’re playing with Bencoolen and Atlas Road Crew at the 9:30, 6/16. -Jonathan Goodwin

Featuring the mellow vocals of former Savoir Adore lead singer Deidre Muro, the virtuoso electronic programming of French Horn Rebellion’s David Perlick-Molinari (her husband and MGMT collaborator), and the atmospheric guitar work of Derek Muro (her brother),  Violet Sands can certainly be described as an uber-talented family group! The first single ‘No Matter What‘ from debut EP ‘Strange Attractor’ sounded like a musical experiment aimed at demonstrating that quirky arrangements and intense vocals can coexist, and that cut and paste music can have a heart. Their newest single ‘Airy Canary’ is a more linear and airy electronic mid-tempo that nods to the sophistipop of the ’80s. You can see the trio live at Palisades on May 20th.

Check out this Delicious Audio Q&A with Violet Sands about their creative process.