Chromaparagon, the first full length release from Long Island prog metal band Moon Tooth, features 12 high energy tracks that grip the listener with talons, and never pauses to let go. A rollicking album that never indulges for too long in any one particular (sub)genre, Chromaparagon is a powerful tour de force that not once feels tired or over-explored. Fans of stoner, doom, math rock, thrash, and prog metal will all be able to find something in this record, whose controlled chaos borders dangerously on virtuosic. The band’s raw talent on the recording is only matched by their live performances, so check them out opening for Intronaut at St. Vitus on 7/24 and Amityville Music Hall on July 25th. – Olivia Sisinni

After over a year without new releases, New York soul artist NAKAYA is finally back, and with something quite different than the folk leaning songs of her debut EP, Out of Breath.  Her new single, “Lose It Too,” is an electronic prduction that starts off slowly and subtly and evocatively builds up, highlighting the singer’s wide vocal range and expressiveness. A passionate alt R&B track,  “Lose It Too” tackles the all time classic theme of the fine line that separates friendship from love (in this circumstance with a LGBT twist), well illustrated by director Joshua Davy in the video streaming below. – Madeleine Grossman

With her latest project, Half Waif‘s Nandi Rose Plunkett has successfully bridged the ever-growing chasm between "avant" and pop, taking Radiohead’s lesson to a more intimate and less pretentious place. The band’s sophomore album ‘Probable Depths" is an intriguing blend of synth and orchestral pop full of texture and otherworldly melodies. Half Waif will be back in Brooklyn performing as a trio on June 6th at the Market Hotel, to the end of their ongoing tour throughout the US. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Read Half Waif’s Q&A about gear and the creative process on Delicious Audio.

The Virginia based band Avers has been making waves recently since their performance at SXSW which got the attention from listeners and critics alike. Their roots are ingrained in psych rock but have recently been delving deeper into indie rock territory. Their recent release, OMEGA/WHATEVER, boasts an amalgam of tracks ranging from quiet, droney tunes exploring the loss of innocence as we grow to more bluesy garage rock tunes with powerhouse guitar riffs and tender vocals. With reverb laden guitars, cackling feedback and plenty of distortion to spare, texture and depth are abundant creating a sense of grandness in their music. Catch them performing at DC Nine on August 3. – Adriana S. Ballester