If Anamanaguchi created (more than) a cult following by mixing indie rock guitars with sounds produced by a hacked old Nintendo gaming console, NYC trio Crying could very easily take 8 bit indie rock to new heights. Their vintage video-game of choice in this case is a Game Boy (Nintendo again!), tweaked by guitarist/nerd Ryan Galloway. That very basic, but so much fun hand held gaming device conjures up memories of innocence that are perfectly matched in style by Crying’s bizarro but super cute pop songs. In the band’s latest EP ‘Get Olde’ – self released last year and recently picked by Run For Cover Records – Elaiza Santos’ vocals tame the music’s effervencence with the perfect amount of tenderness, charm, and thoughtfulness, carving melodies that are never banal. What’s even more impressive, there isn’t one weak song on the 6 tracks on the record. Check out Bodega Run, streaming below, and see them 

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

Dinosaur Feathers first emerged from Brooklyn’s sweaty DIY scene as an irrepressibly upbeat synthesis of indie rock & world music influences, replete with intricate soaring vocal harmonies. The group then charted a course from tropical leisure to nervy beach rock via substantial touring with acts like Built to Spill and Peter Bjorn & John. Most recently, master of ceremonies Greg Sullo committed to an extended stay in Oakland, where he found himself progressively drawn toward Motown soul & funky R&B – from Smokey to Chaka, Prince to Janet. His vocal performances on CONTROL clearly reflect an affinity for such material, supported by a catalog of disparate secondary influences, from Scott Walker to Drake.

Once described by this blog as the "rootsy rock singer with the West Coast vibe", Marco Argiro has come across our radar once more, with his new band Marco With Love. Stemming from classic indie rock influences and rootsy vibes, Marco With Love’s most recent tracks are the new music videos, "In The Shade" and Ramones-themed "Will You Remember Poison Heart". ‘In The Shade’ encapsulates the band’s heartfelt melodies and lirycal intensity, while ‘Poison Heart’ plays with 60s pop and a crooning style somewhat reminiscent of Argiro’s Florida origins – a state that like no other brings back images of the swinging sixties. In anticipation for their debut album out late 2014, you can see Marco With Love at R Bar on 9/18. – Sammie Spector

Told Slant is the musical project of Brooklyn-based Felix Walworth currently featuring Oliver Kalb, Gabrielle Smith and Emily Sprague. After unceremoniously dropping their 10 song LP ‘Still Water’ on bandcamp two years ago in August 2012 (and garnering very little response as a result) the ‘bedroom punk’ band officially re-released the album earlier this year with Broken World Media and embarked on an almost-national tour with NY pop band Crying. A sorrowfully beautiful collection of songs, the album trickles along quietly at a slow pace allowing the listener to fully immerse themselves in the intensity of Walworth’s dark and searching lyrics. Each song reads like a carefully crafted essay, honestly and artfully exploring relationships (and their dissolution), love, depression, confusion and the human condition. Listen to the full album here or even better purchase it on 12" vinyl via Broken World Media. – Brescia Mascheretti

We’ve been blogging about ghost folk songstress Wise Blood almost non stop in 2014, in August she released this single ‘Hang On’ from the upcoming full length that should see the dark of the night next month, on Mexican Summer Records. Check out the interview we did with the artists a few weeks ago, link below.

LINK: Corinne Bagish Interview with Weyes Blood

Habibi might be the only Brooklyn band with Algeri (Algeria) as their most engaged city in their Facebook profile that actually doesn’t pump up their numbers through hacking (by the way, bands who do that should stop now!). Yes, because the all female quartet not only features among its ranks Rahill Jamalifard (who has a Persian background), but also chose as a name the Arabic word for "my beloved," and claims middle Eastern influences in their sound. But even though the latter claim rings true, 60s bubblegum pop and garage elements are way more noticeable, at least in their 2013 debut, self-titled album on Burger Records. Check out single ‘I Got The Moves’ below, and see them live at the Wick on 09.12 – the second date of their east coast tour with Shonen Knife.

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

At the 2014 edition of the CMJ Music Marathon, Brooklyn’s Slothrust will be one of the NYC bands to keep an ear on (or two). Offering a very personal reinterpretation of the loud/quiet/loud sound of the rock of the 90s (but sparing us from the raspy vocals revival), their 2013 album ‘Of Course You Do’ has been a little bit of a sleeper, but allowed the band to keep gaining momentum and conquering fans with each live appearance. They just announced they are scheduled to tour with Cymbal Eats Guitars in the fall and to open for The Kills at the Bowery Ballroom on CMJ Thursday (10.23).

Songs by Slothrust are included in The Deli’s playlist of Best slacker rock/garage songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

On September 23rd, Austin’s edgy bluegrass quintet Whiskey Shivers will release their third full-length album, a self-titled collection which you can now preorder on iTunes to receive a download of their latest single ‘Free.’ Aiming to “knock the dust off roots music,” the five bandmates came together in 2009 to give some passion and grit to the rockabilly sounds of their predecessors. Their boundless energy and obvious camaraderie has allowed them to carve out their own space in the local live scene, becoming regulars at venues like Antone’s. The band is currently touring the US in support of the album, so keep an eye out for a local show and be sure to catch the forthcoming release. – Jillian Dooley

Sirma, a talented and eclectic musician and singer from Turkey, has experienced the many facets of the music industry, and has found a new home in NYC, where she’s working on her first solo project. Assured and steadfast, in her new EP ‘Instincts’ she continues to experiment within the electronic pop format, bringing an almost spiritual intensity to her songs, and contaminating them with the exotic music influences that run in her blood.

LINK: Read Rebecca Blandon interview with Sirma
We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best mellow pop songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

NYC’s Wormburner (a band that has shared the stage with the lines of Violent Femmes and The War on Drugs among others) doesn’t simply play catchy rock’n’roll, they’re also telling a story. Each song by the 5-piece rock outfit has its own narrative, which openly gay front-man Hank Henry explains as stemming from his ability to be someone he’s not, from all the years he spent in the closet.  The band is set to release their third LP ‘Pleasant Living in Planned Communities’ on September 30th via Dive Records, and in support, they’re playing an album release show on September 26th at Mercury Lounge in Manhattan.  Check out their song ‘Today Might Be Our Day’ from the album below.  – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)

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

Johnny Lewis’ tracks are hearty acoustic gems interlaced with perfectly panned ambiance. The Minneapolis songwriter – now based in Brooklyn – manages to create pieces that are equal parts nostalgic and eclectic, adding elements of unfamiliarity to songs that otherwise hit home. He’s recently shared with us a dream-folk track “Familiar Chime” (streaming), a single off of his forthcoming self-titled debut album, which is set to be released on September 23. This will be a bit of a shift from his background in electronic music production, and we’re excited to see what he comes up with this time around. Next week Lewis will perform with his six-piece ensemble at Mercury Lounge in NYC on Monday, September 8th at 7pm. – Jillian Dooley

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

Higher Animals conjure whimsical indie rock certain to tickle your medulla oblongata. Vocalist Mimi Sun croons like a majestic songbird in a technicolor jungle while Orien Longo, the Lou Reed to her Nico, spouts a warm baritone warble in perfect harmony. Their songs vacillate between somber nostalgia and unbridled glee carried by glittery guitars and an unflinching rhythm section, and tend to lean heavily on love and loss, but with lines like “time was wasted on our youth / and I was held to my word / I guess by now you know the truth” they show promise to thoroughly shake some hearts as they diversify their content. In the mean time, you can howl your heartbreak with them on Saturday Sept 6th at Bk Wildlife’s Summer Festival at the Paper Box in Brooklyn.