With over 40 bands set to play before the Long Island Indie Rock & Pop Festival is through, you might be more than a little inundated with all the bands there are to see. Well, have no fear because we’ve picked a couple of our favorite groups that we think you should be listening to right now.
Astronauto seamlessly blends strong soul-bearing folk sensibilities with space-y synths that sound plucked from Jupiter. The result is dynamic songs that swell and breathe but feel sincerely introspective–edging toward the stratosphere but never truly leaving earth. Listen to their set 8/21 at 89 North.
A New Bug delivers high-energy garage punk with old school vibes. Lackadaisical vocals ooze reserved, New-York cool, but are dotted by flashes of unbridled wildness. The band’s vox are pitted against fuzzy, driving instrumentals that make it near irrestiable to shake something. Mark A New Bug down as your perfect companion for the next time you’re up to no good, and see them play on 8/20 at O’Brien’s.
It Came From Space is maybe the gateway drug for listeners yet to add math rock tunes to their heavy rotation. The band lays down highly acessible instrumental tracks that unfold in scope right before your ears, and sneak narrative dreamscapes behind your optic nerves. The tracks are consistently sweet sounding, and the band holds solid grooves that never get stuck anywhere for too long. Check out their set 8/22 at Portside.-Olivia Sisinni