Are you ready for another totally unique, kickass woman making music out of NYC? Glockabelle is a classically trained pianist from Paris who, like a creature from Peter Pan, plays a lyre-shaped glockenspiel using eight thimbled fingers. She also experiments with two vintage Casiotones, sings in French, and describes her music as “glockrock” – but maybe "glocken-synth" is more accurate, considering the psych tendencies. Though her songs are most often delightful and whimsical, they will also feature some dark material. For instance, her chirpy Ramone’s cover “le KKK a pris mon bébé” translates into “The KKK took my baby”. Enchanté Glockabelle! See you at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn on March 27th. – Leora Mandel

Comprised of rockers from former bands Fixer, More, and January Jane, NYC trio Circus Life is all about rock’n’ roll. Their 2014 album “Little Secrets” boasts non-stop energy and influences ranging from Guns N’ Roses to AC/DC. Most of their lyrics are about the "glamour" and grossness of what the band describes as “the rock n’ roll lifestyle.” We’re talking all your grandmom’s favorites—cocaine, ecstasy, booze, women in leather, sweat, dirty Santas (streaming), and sometimes silly voyeurism: “got an ass like an earthquake, it’ll send a rattle through your bones. I want her butt on my pants, they’re getting tighter, so come on baby come on”(from the song “Just Looking”). They’re playing a show on March 26th at The Bowery Electric. For the occasion, we suggest whiskey well shots (and leaving gram-gram at home). – Leora Mandel

Brooklyn shoegazers OhNoMoon might not be remembered for their prolificity (the band just released their debut EP "VVV" after four singles produced from 2011 to 2013), but you sure can’t fault them for the quality of their releases. The Deli’s psych oriented staff (i.e. most of us) dug their early single "Sleeping Limbs" and the cover of "Ashes to Ashes," and are excited to find this early love still in great shape with new single "Low" – streaming below. Kat Lee’s ethereal vocals reach here new levels of dreaminess, while the guitars perfectly balance the sugar surge with the right amount of tension and dissonance. The entire EP sounds solid (you can stream it in advance here. Don’t miss their EP release party at Mercury Lounge on Monday 03.16.

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

In the 90’s, Seattle produced two REALLY bluesy bands that went on to become two of the most popular acts from the grunge wave: Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. In today’s Brooklyn-centered rediscovery of that west coast sound, we haven’t heard a lot of bluesy overtones – until Highly Suspect came on our radar. This young group (who made our latest list of Best Emerging NYC Bands) has the chops to pull off this kind of heavyness through a punchy interplay between their tight power trio set up and Johnny Stevens’ powerful but expressive lead vocals. Their latest single "Lydia" (streaming) is getting a lot of attention, the band is going to bring it live to the Austin crowds at next week’s SXSW Festival.

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

Neutral Tones is the brainchild of Queens’ N. David Pastor, who confesses in his Bandcamp description: "I’m a writer and a musician. I should probably focus on one or the other…" – to which we reply: "but why?" Songwriting is the art that combines these two talents, and David shows promise in both departments, as you can hear from his three song debut EP, filled with intimate lyrics and interesting textures and arrangements. Neutral Tones recently performed at a NYC Sofar Sound event.

This artist submitted music for coverage here.

We saw Sky White Tiger live a few weeks ago and we were impressed. The psci-fi NYC band, headed by Louis Schwadron of The Polyphonic Spree, has just released this new video for single “Don’t Matter Much,” and also announced the band’s official participation in the upcoming SXSW festival, with a show at The Iron Bear on Tuesday March 17.

Ladies and Gents,

The SXSW 2015 issue of The Deli can be now read online here. 10k copies of this baby will flood the streets of Austin during SXSW Music Week.

It will be a busy time for us as usual, with the madness of the Stompbox Exhibit in full swing, joined this year by a sister expo called Synth Space!

So yeah… if you are attracted to nerds, come and see us at the SXSW Music Gear Expo inside the Austin Convention Center from March 19 to March 21 (11am-6pm)!

We’ll also have a small live showcase, here are the details:

THE DELI’S SXSW 2015 SHOWCASE

FACEBOOK EVENT
WHEN: Friday 03.20, 4pm
WHERE: FLatstock Stage (Austin Convention Center)

4.00 Prinze George (DC Area)
4.45 Lazyeyes (Brooklyn, NY)
5.30 Roger Sellers (Austin)

See y’all in Austin!

The Deli’s Staff

Denmark/NC turned NYC pop band Ex Cops is headed to SXSW, on their own terms. The duo recently got in a spat with McDonalds, a multi billion-dollar corporation who, in the name of "exposure," offered to pay them in nothing but hamburgers. At a few bucks per hamburger, that’s not even close to minimum wage… Yesterday Ex Cops rejected the offer in a Facebook post that went viral – we are sure they won’t have trouble finding free lunch (and drinks) in Austin that week.
The band released their second album, "Daggers," in November. The record features collaborators with Ariel Pink (see streaming track "Tragically Alright") and Justin Raisen, a producer known for his work with Sky Ferreira and Kylie Minogue. If you can’t make it to Austin you can dance with Ex Cops (while trying on sunglasses and neckalces) at Brooklyn Night Bazaar on March 13th. – Leora Mandel

Big Neck Police (a band that made our recent Best of NYC 2014 list) is a raw sounding three-piece punk band with metal influences. Their latest EP is a split with fellow New Yorkers, Dog, and is available on Bandcamp. What happens in this EP and who are these people, you ask? Educated guess #1: That cool guy in math class you thought was a total slacker was really just bored because he knew the answers to everything. He grew up and today he spills a bowl of hot soup on himself. At first he screams and falls into things in the kitchen. Then takes a deep breath and stays home from work with a lap of 2nd degree burns. The television hypnotizes him. All of his friends are inside it, only they are all sock puppets on a therapy talk show. They get violent with each other. Dr. Phil helps them talk it out in the end but our guy is already asleep on the couch. You don’t believe me? Check them out live at DIY venue Aviv on March 27. (crazy stuff!) – Leora Mandel

"Arresting" is arguably one of the best compliments a song can receive: a song powerful enough that gets you to stop for a minute; a song that miracolously forces you to pay attention; a song that moves you, that reminds you that there’s still a part inside of you able to feel. NYC songwriter Chris Riffle‘s latest single "Nothing But the Waves" is such a song, and we are proud to premiere its evocative video here on The Deli NYC. Like a new Chris Isaak, Riffle keeps things simple, focusing on the depth of the lyrics and the cadence of the words, while the few chord changes drop effortlessly, but almost surprisingly, and create a melodic opening that boosts the song’s emotional power.
Chris Raffle is set to release his new album ‘Out of Town’ on April 7, 2015, you can see him live at Rockwood Music Hall on March 31.

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

New York anthemic pop-rockers Born Cages are releasing their debut album, "I’m Glad I’m Not Me," on June 2nd, just in time for your summer mix tape! If you’re a weather optimist (stuck in a hopeless NYC winter) and are already compiling those rooftop jams, you’ll find some noteworthy candidates in their debut EP "The Sidelines," featuring five mostly upbeat, soaring, and heavily melodic tracks – which will also appear in the full length. Born Cages is one of the first bands to join new NYC label Washington Square, joining The Hold Steady and former The Virgins singer Donald Cumming. They will co-headline with Dreamers on a full US tour beginning on March 4th heading to Austin for SXSW, and tour again this summer with the 2015 Vans Warped Tour. – Leora Mandel

Brooklyn songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Cat Martino recently unveiled her new project Stranger Cat, an electronic duo with producer Sven Britt. The band has just announced the April release of debut LP "In the Wilderness," which was written by Cat after a difficult period of disillusionment with the music world and its challenges. An accomplished vocalist and songwriter, Cat has collaborated with many noteworthy NYC artists including Sufjan Steven and Sharon Van Etten. Her new project sees her explore the creative possibilities given by electronic instruments, and features darker atmospheres, without abandoning her pop sensibility and soulful style. Stream the single "Sirens" below, and – if you dig – see Stranger Cat live at The Knit on 03.07