New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Longface has released a new video for their single “Crescent Moon” for their latest album Hillbilly Wit. The video was directed by Mark Skala and produced by Skalawag Productions and Sooper Records
You can catch Longface at Cafe Mustache on December 16th with Spencer Radcliffe, Health & Beauty and The Falbonauts.
Indie retro-rockers from Hamilton, The Retroaction are back with a brand new music video. “These Things For You” is a tune about loving a stranger and imagining life with that stranger. It’s a groovy tune that combines rock n’ roll classics of the 60’s and 70’s with indie rock of the 2000’s. They could play on Ed Sullivan or Carson Daly…take your pick. This lyric video is a fun exploration of the band’s record collection. Very cool sounds from these guys. Make sure you see them live on December 21st at the Gladstone Hotel. – Kris Gies
Brooklyn rapper Josh the Word pushes forward through the seasons with sharp lyrical delivery and smooth soul vocals. His new album “Psyched Out” is emblematic of that New York sound that has been made popular with everyone from J57 to Junk Science. It’s boom bap with equal parts earnest candor and quirky imagery. In another beautiful narrative video, Josh takes us to the fringe of both civilization and civility. Hip Hop has always had a combative method of escapism. Dig out your ski-mask and prepare to dig a little deeper. – BrokeMC
We’re going to go ahead and call it, NYC-based artist Roxiny is one to watch. With powerful but tempered vocals, Roxiny produces haunting, poignant music that is at times reminiscent of Reflektor-era Arcade Fire, but with some serious teeth. The indie musician recently released a new video for her single "Lights," a song that opens with subtle synths-as-sirens, and was written in response to the Chelsea Bombing . Shot in black and white, the clip showcases NYC as told by Roxiny–highlighting abandoned buildings and small laundromats, and celebrating the way her message penetrates the city in a fierce, grassroots way. Check out the video for "Lights" streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni
The triad of Etheric Felines recently released its debut EP The Selves We Bury via Magic Death Sounds. Threading components of electro-noise and hip-hop within a fog of murky mystery, these songs impose a will of dangerous, dreamy discovery. Shrouded in the unknown, one wanders through the abandoned buildings of the future, using the sonic signal as a honing device. Trek through the cluttered and chaotic ambiance in pursuit of the final destination, lying in the distance.
NYC’s Spooky and the Bear is a dark-synth/ambient duo, with a penchant for surprisingly catchy tunes. The group just dropped their first multi-track release, "So Long Ago," an EP that marries beatmaker Marco Dianese’s sometimes-trippy-always-engaging beats with Nina Varner’s smoky vocals. The result is 5 tracks of offbeat electro-dance pop. Stream "Water" off the new EP below and see them live at Nolita’s Epistrophy on December 17th. – Olivia Sisinni
Below is a new music video for Aphra‘s single "Honey," which can be found on her debut EP Sadness is a Gesture. Though Rebecca Waychunas may be best known around these parts for her ethereal pop tunes, she reveals another talent in her repertiore, with a powerful, emotionally-revealing modern dance performance. The routine was choreographed by Megan Matuzak and filmed by Ella Miller and Tim O’Donnell at Underground Arts. Aphra will be appearing next in Philly this Saturday, December 8 at Everybody Hits with Tigerstrype, Dolores, and Heatmap. All proceeds from the show will be donated to Prevention Point Philadelphia, a Kensington-based harm reduction organization that is focused on preventing drug overdose deaths. They’ll also be collecting toiletries that evening to help supply the nonprofit’s homeless outreach team.
In anticipation for her new LP, Old Ghost, debuting in February, Brooklyn-based songwriter Renata Zeiguer (ex Cantina)has decided to pull back the curtain on the forthcoming album and release the first single. Old Ghost’s second track, now made playable on her Bandcamp page is "Bug" is a suprisingly haunting song inspired by Kafka’s six-legged monster. The single hints at the themes we might expect from the upcoming album, like nostalgia spurned by external places, and contending with the internal ghosts we may struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Listen to "Bug" streaming below, and catch Renata Zeiguer at Union Pool on 2/23.-Olivia Sisinni
Krust Toons: "The Only Support…" by Tedd Hazard – please feel free to drop him a line at teddandthehazards@gmail.com if you dig or have any funny ideas. You can also check out more of his illustrations and animation shorts HERE.
Scottish post-rockers Mogwai have a new album out – Every Country’s Sun, and are currently on tour with Xander Harris, which will becoming to the TLA this Saturday, December 9. To enter for a chance to win a pair of tix, just send an email to thedelimagazinephiladelphia@gmail.com with the subject line "Coolverine". Please also include your cell number in the body of the message (in case of an emergency). Good luck! (Photo by Brian Sweeney)
“Now I’m snowed in while you’re out there in California. Stuck here thinking about how you said I did nothing for you,” Alyse Vellturo sings on pronoun’s “Snowed In // There’s No One New Around You.” Though it may be a little early to expect snow, the sentiment in pronoun’s music is always relevant. The Brooklyn artist captures the emotional sincerity of earlier work by acts like Death Cab For Cutie and Tegan and Sara, mixing it with the propulsive, dance-inspired back beats that have characterized both group’s more recent output. On December 10th, pronoun will perform at Zone One at Elsewhere for Silent Night Fest, hosted by Vellturo’s own Sleep Well Records. While the odds of getting snowed in at that point are slim, pronoun can be counted on for an emotionally stirring performance. – Cameron Carr, photo by Sofie Vasquez
Philly’s own Buddy Leezle recently dropped a new EP, titled Cocaine Castles. Produced by Bockman, its opening track couples elegant, enticing keys and rapid-fire snare, creating a silky, night-dwelling cruiser of a beat. Leezle is able to assert his relentless flow immediately. Pouncing on the possibilities, he doesn’t hold back, setting the table for what follows. It’s a smooth, confident display of talent from the seasoned emcee.
