Brooklyn based musician and producer, XHOSA, does not try to puzzle us with obtuse metaphors or elaborate fabrications – she says exactly what she means.  Blending a variety of genres, from Hip Hop and R&B to ’80s synthpop, in her latest single, “FEEL REAL,” the artist offers a reassuring message.  Throughout the song, she repeats “I feel real, I feel okay, everywhere that I stray,” emphasizing the rawness of both herself and of life in general.  The song ends not with XHOSA singing, but speaking of the excitements of life and the thin line between dreams and reality. You can see her live on July 24th at Aviv. – Madeleine Grossman

Live hip-hop bands are truly a diamond a dozen nowadays, making a new single from NYC’s Deathrow Tull all the more special.  The Hip-hop/Soul band’s first release since 2013, "Fire (like we do)" is a fast-paced joy-ride through music old and new. Clocking in at over six minutes, the heavily danceable track uses it’s length to its advantage, managing to enfold genres ranging from soul, hip-hop, and reggae all into one song. It has some rock leanings too, mostly contributed by a Tom Morello-esque guitar part that stays in the background much of the track, only to suddenly break out into an out of sight solo right past the song’s mid-way line. Adding to the guitar part’s references, on Friday the 22nd Deathrow Tull is taking part in "Pulse Against the Machine," a benefit show for the victims of the shooting of the Orlando club, where they’ll play Rage covers to finish off the night. Check out their latest track below. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

While some people are ok with enjoying the good stuff life brings to them, others prefer to prevent future pain. Happy Now, the debut single from Brooklyn natives, Shapes in Calgary, is an aching account of finding someone that’s almost too lovely to let go, and the claustrophobic pressure that builds when one realizes it’s just not the right person. Dressed in a clean 80’s synthpop, Alyssa Ciorciari’s words have a devastatingly biting quality from the track’s first moments, and her casual vocal style gives the impression of an overheard late-night confession. The song is all too familiar for any veteran of love’s misfires, and it reveals emotions so universally honest, one may swear that someone’s been rifling through his or her diary! We’re looking forward to the 5 song EP that will be released this fall, but for now you can stream the single below. The band will be playing at Alhpaville on September 3rd. – Olivia Sisinni

Typically I’m weary of the word patio, after seeing it applied to countless local ads for senior-home condos or the over-friendly neighborhood brick layers stumbling through radio commercials. The Brooklyn trio Patio however has lightened my jaded little heart with their perfect blend of sweet melodies and post-punk grit. Marked by subdued vocals that read in a genuine post-cool way, Patio’s first EP, Luxury, is driven by mobile bass lines and punctuated snare hits. The band emphatically paints anthems for the current malaise plaguing twenty-somethings and their infectious tunes are furthered by the band’s sense of fun and loving devotion of chicken sandwiches. See Patio live on August 8 at Shea Stadium supporting Ovlov, Happy Diving, and Peaer, and check out their single ‘Arbitrary Numbers’ below. – Olivia Sisinni

When we last saw The Sun Parade , they had released their 2014 single, "Heart’s Out." Since then they’ve played a ton of shows, sucessfully crowd-funded for a debut LP and are now putting on the finsihing touches of that said album.  Due to these devleopments it seems like some re-introductions are in order, no? Their offerings to date have all bursted with melody, espeically their tom-tom heavy percussion.  Their vocalist also has that unique quality of being able to inflect boat loads of emotion into his voice without making the music feel sappy or overwrought. Tying these ends together are clean, simple but not dull guitar patterns which provide a nice anchor for the previously mentioned elements. You can check out The Sun Parade at The Great Scott on 7/30, where they promised they’ll play tracks off their forthcoming full-length. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber, Photo by Georgia Rae Teesma