The Rolling Stones got it quite right that time, when they said "it’s only rock’n’roll, but I like it." And even though the genre itself is not of the pretentious variety, it still requires specific instrumental skills (to sum it up, punch and tightness) and as much flair as possible. oh, and good songwriting is always a plus! NYC’s Wyldlife deliver in all these departments with their own spirited punk’n’roll. The band is about to release their third full length ‘Out on Your Block’ in early 2017, and to support it they will be touring the east coast. The tour’s final date will be in Brooklyn at Union Pool on January 27 (also the record’s release party). Before that, though, they’ll be performing at Bowery Electric in Manhattan with veteran NYC punk rockers The Dictators on December 30th.

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best Punk/Garage songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

Guilty Giraffe is one of those drums/guitar duos that can sound like an army – in the tradition of The White Stripes if you will, although they don’t sound anything like them. Rather, Mat McGinnis and Felipe Reis play an ever evolving kind of post punk that flirts with drone rock, noise rock, post-hardcore and psychedelia. Their debut mini-album “A Time to Slime”, which includes grimy energetic tunes such as “Stop the Slime” and “Try and Figure” (streaming below) was entirely self produced, and shows a confident hand and interesting ideas. Noise lovers don’t want to miss out next Wednesday, December 28th when they take over Sunnyvale BK. – Jocelyn Huggler

With psychedelic leanings and spacey synths that could believably been beamed down from Pluto, Brooklyn-based Pavo Pavo has a sound that’s both warm and familiar, and yet hard to place. In their stunning debut album ‘Young Narrator in the Breakers‘ the band seems to comfortably straddle between the deeper trenches of Brian Wilson’s brain and the new face of NYC indie rock–whatever that may be. The quintet’s tunes may be hazy and wistful, but there’s a quirky liveliness embedded at the heart of their tracks that invites the listener back for more and warrants repeat plays. The band’s founder Oliver Hill was kind enough to spend some time with Delicious Audio to shed some light on their creative process, and the gear that helps color their distinctive feel – see link below. Check out their recent video for ‘Ruby (Let’s Buy The Bike!),’ streaming below.

Pavo Pavo discusses gear and creative process on Delicious Audio.

Although Josh Lattanzi played for and toured with artist with pop inclinations like Albert Hammond Jr., the Lemonheads and Ben Kweller, his musical heart beats for wise and evocative Americana, and The Candles is the project where this passion is indulged. The band’s third album, entitled ‘Matter + Spirit" was released earlier in November 2016 and is receiving such good responses that it propelled the band on our Top 10 of NYC artists with buzz (you’ll find it towards the top of this same page). Supporting Norah Jones on a US and European tour also helped. The NYC singer songwriter also appeared as a guest vocalist on single ‘Move Along,’ streaming below. Don’t miss their first show home after the tour at Mercury Lounge on January 21.

If your way of staying warm during the bleak New York winters has less to do with sipping cocoa by a fire and more with sweating it out in the middle of a mosh pit, Death Vacation’s new EP may be more welcome than a holiday trip to Florida. The NJ/NY-based singer, Michelle Mancuso, spits and snarls her way through the 5 tracks that make up Bones Grow Cold, and her gut-busting vocals are paired with grindcore beats that are coated with enough grime to satisfy even the nastiest hardcore fiends. Though the tunes definitely have melodic moments, the real payoff here is in the visceral, chomping percussive-ness of the tracks that grate against your ears alongside all the blood and noise. Check out the band’s track "Parasitic" streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

If there’s one thing Baltimore-based rapper Kotic Couture is trying not to do, it’s blend in. The artist delivers punchy hip-hop tracks that are as stand-out as his glam, neon-tinged appearence. Navigating the space between thoughtful lyricsim, and club-ready powerhouse anthems, Kotic Couture’s latest EP, Abstract, is 4 tracks worth of eclectic tunes that are sure to make an electrifying impression. Check out his track "Go Awff" streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni 
 

Chances are, you haven’t heard a band quite like Hula Hi-Fi. The Nashville-based threepiece, consisting of Sarah Bandy on ukulele, Annie Clements on upright bass, and Josh Kaler on lap steel, produce haunting, ethereal melodies that have the feel of 50s-era Hawaiian imports, but lack the saccherine sunshine. Like black sand on a beach, Hula Hi-Fi’s music is dark and unexpected, but perhaps all the more beautiful because of it. Check out their new release, Hawaiian Noir: Volume One, and listen to them streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni