Guitarist LG and his band Dead Leaf Echo have been gazing at their inspiring, colorful shoes (and stompboxes) for quite some time now, forging otherwordly sounding songs, while working with producer John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode) and opening for the likes of Psychedelic Furs, A Place To Bury Strangers and legendary British ’90s shoegazers Chapterhouse. The band just released a new track entitled "sunlessoul" (streaming) and has three shows scheduled during the CMJ Music Marathon. We recently ask them a few question about how they generate their sound in this interview on Delicious Audio.

Queens-based Negative Gemini – a project started by composer/programmer Lindsey French after her hip hop group dismantled – has been getting some attention this year after the release of debut EP "Real Virtual Unison." Her electronic sound escapes the synth-pop cathegorization, borrowing insatead from the dark, tense, and drony aesthetics of the early new wave (as in the more electronic, less extreme cousin of post punk). Our favorite track "Forget Your Future" (streaming below), never lets the tension fade, flirting with dissonance, while extremely filtered vocals harmonize in a crescendo of desperation. Negative Gemini has three shows scheduled this week within the CMJ Music Marathon, the first one at Bowery Electric on Wednesday 10.14. – Photo by Julia Nichols.

Most pop and rock fans are struck by the passion for music in their teens or early twenties, years that are emotionally rich and normally infused with optimism, excitment and some degree of rebellion. That makes them the perfect time to get high on rock’n’roll. We don’t know if it’s possible for adults to enjoy music as much as their teenager selves – we doubt it – but this adorable new song and video by Brooklinite garage pop trio Big Quiet awakened the teenager in us, and… well, it felt great! The song, entitled "Maura & Dana" is a super-catchy and uptempo power-dream-pop tune (with unintelligible lyrics) that’s bound to set any indie fan’s body in motion. The video, which appears to be shot in super-8, beautifully tackles the summer activities of two music loving young ladies, during the most fun filled years of their lives. You can find other songs by Big Quiet in their self titled debut album, and you can see them live at The Deli’s Garage/Slacker Rock CMJ stage on Thursday 10.15 at Muchmore’s.

Natalie Mering of Weyes Blood and her incredibly haunting voice are back with a new EP on Mexican Summer entitled "Cardamom Times." She recently unveiled this video for single "In the Beginning."

There’s no shortage of self-released solo albums by backup singers and Broadway celebrities, two posts which Shayna Steele knows well. Rise is her latest release, recorded between stints with Bette Midler, Moby, and the revival of Hairspray. Mellow cuts recall ’80s Sade, though lively soul numbers like “Everybody’s Crying Mercy” (streaming) make a solid case for Steele’s own spotlight. Shayna will be performing at The Deli’s CMJ Roots/Soul stage at Rockwood Music Hall this coming Wednesday 10.14 – full schedule of our CMJ shows here. – Brian Chidester

El Tryptophan is the musical and visual project of Brooklyn based artist Gryphon Rue. The young man has at once folky and rather extreme experimental inclinations, and you’ll find these two influences blended together in his upcoming debut album ‘Guilt Vacation.’ We are premiering here single "Syntax Static" (streaming below), a song about the relation between lust and communication based on an unusual two quarter drum pattern, that’s regularly interrupted by choruses in four quarters that are – alternatively – sonically exploding and imploding. Like a more extreme Beck, Rue incorporates, constantly recycles and disposes of various sounds, genres and ideas, without ever venuring into pop territory, though. ‘Guilt Vacation’ will be released on November 20th. The release show is scheduled for November 18 at Trans Pecos.

Get ready for a new, comfy night of NYC lady-made music, this upcoming Monday October 12 at Greenpoint’s Manhattan Inn. For the un-initiated, the Deli-sponsored series (organized by Hypnocraft) is called "The Hum" and features female NYC musicians in a collaborative setting. On Monday you’ll see in action one of our favorite NYC singer songwriters, Tamsin Wilson of the band Wilsen, who graced the cover of our NYC magazine back in 2013. Tamsin will be performing a set with singer, actress & dancer Katrina Cunningham and (in normal circumstances) one-woman-band Idgy Dean.

The second set will involve two Latinas from bands who also got recent love from us, both in print and online: Gabi Jimeno, drummer of Balancer, and Juliana Ronderos, singer of Salt Cathedral. Yo, Balancer will also be playing at our CMJ Pop Stage on the following Saturday, BE THERE!!!

The third set, quite appropriately curated by Tom Tom Magazine (a rag entirely focused on female drummers), will feature Mindy Abovitz (Chica Vas, Taigaa), Mickey Vershbow (Mal Blum), Cati Bestard (Doble Pletina), and Maia Macdonald (Mirah). With 50% of the musicians on stage being drummers, you can expect a rather percussive performance!

This is a free event, hope to see you there!

The Deli’s Staff – (in the picture, White Prism and Half Waif at last Monday’s event – photo by David Andrako)

(True, we don’t really have a "Video of the Month" appointment here at The Deli, but sometimes we need a title that stresses how much we like something, so there you go.)

Music revivals can be great, don’t get us wrong. But a blog dedicated to a scene with a history as eclectic and forward thinking as the NYC one should not miss any opportunities to highlight artists that are making an effort to sound different (without sounding awful, because it’s too easy that way!). Brooklyn based Captain Baby makes such effort, and pulls it off brilliantly. We noticed their music about a year ago, cherry picking it from the jungle of our digital submissions. Listening to their debut album "Sugar Ox" one year later, we realize it’s a true gem. Led by Afghani composer Asher Rogers, this is a project that finds inspiration in genre mashup, with an overall "avant-indie" sound that swallows and processes music as distant as reggae, African rhythms, funk, Eastern music and Calypso among others. They have three videos out, all obviously low budget, but very cool nonetheless. Check out below the one for "I Say You" and their strangely soulful latest single "More than a Woman." Captain Baby will be performing at Arlene’s Grocery on 10.13 (early show) within the CMJ Music Marathon.

With all the copycat artists snatching fame by biting simple styles, it’s evident more artists haven’t taken to the OutKast model because of its complexity and tenuous corporeality. Flatbush’s The Underachievers may be the only crew brave enough to attempt the feat. "Evermore: The Art of Duality," their second studio album on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label, is a further exploration into the realms of psychedelic street rap. It’s MCs Issa Gold and AK’s ability to vacillate between complex lyrical patterns and simple blunt truths, referencing both Alduous Huxley and Tupac in the same track, that makes them so effective. In “Rain Dance,” AK raps, “Hennesy Sippin, crippin since I was a teen nigga, still a street hitter, psychedelics helped me see bigger.” Coupled with their predilection toward ethereal bouncy beats, Evermore is an effort Andre 3000 and Big Boi would be proud to have rattle their trunks. Currently on a US tour, The Underachievers will hit Webster Hall on October 24. – BrokeMC

Brooklyn garage punk trio The Mad Doctors enjoy spending their time churning out raw energy and fuzz-driven riffs, delivering some fine sludgy musical goodness. These beard-sporting, faux physicians take the sounds of Black Sabbath and smash it clean into some Black Flag surf-era punk rock. They’re set to play The Gutter this Saturday (10.10) so if you’ve never witnessed their live presence now’s your chance. You can also listen to their raging new single ‘Justin’s A Cop’ below, and buy the cassingle split with Vamanos via Pizza King Records, out now. – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)

On October 2nd, Brooklyn stalwarts Fort Lean released their debut full-length album "Quiet Day" on indie label Ooh La La Records. Establishing themselves on the local scene over the last few years through a number of singles, EPs and live performances, the band delivers with its latest release their most accessible but also best orchestrated work to date. Standout track “Might’ve Misheard” (streaming) emphasizes the verse/chorus structure by aligning it with quite/loud production values. While the verses are sonically spacious (allowing for intimate detail storytelling), the bombastic chorus delivers a memorable vocal hook bathed in a sea of distorted guitars. “I thought you said we could both disappear – then we’d get away” provides both auditory and emotional release, while cleverly embedding the songs title within follow-up lyrics. Previously released opening single “Cut To The Chase” builds around clean, undistorted guitar figures over a 50’s stroll rhythm. Melancholy bridge chords emerge as the lyrics turn pensive and confessional. “Never mind, it’s alright, you can lie, you can say that it’s ok” comes as the defining hook. Title track “Quiet Day” burns slowly as a steady bass guitar pattern runs through it. Mental turmoil is suggested not only through lyrics but via audio textures that play like a tense psychological dramatic film soundtrack. Catch them at Pianos during the CMJ Music Marathon on October 13. – Dave Cromwell – The Deli interviewed Fort Lean in 2012.

Brooklyn based musician Jonathan Graves is the brainfather of Corbu, a musical and visual project that produces intensely dreamy pop music (and visuals), and which received a fair amount of attention in 2014 with single ‘We Are Sound,’ a foggy number that sounds to us like a sonic concoction of glorious UK band Doves and the Smashing Pumpkins’ unforgettable single ‘1979.’ Fans will have the opportunity to see Corbu live next week during the CMJ Music Marathon, at The Wick on October 16.

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