A desert landscape filled with grinding Sabbath-inspired grooves and spacious, psychedelic guitars, topped over with tightly wound harmonies that might otherwise belong to surf-inspired beach jams. It’s an unlikely combo for sure, but that’s the style KDH made their own. The result is a sold-out limited edition cassette named ‘Kill Devil Hills’ that’s as scenic as it is tumultuous. Tracks like ‘Barnburner’ and the anthemic ‘Ratchets’ for instance, pound their way into your skull, while leaving you strangely relaxed and in need to go sunbathing. Check it out below to see what we mean. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for coverage here.

Blank Paper, a synth-pop quartet we tried but failed to book for the Northside/Best of NYC shows we organized this weekend (the band couldn’t play), just released this new supercatchy single entitled ‘Whip’ (streaming). Employing a wide palette of electronic sounds, Blank Paper blends 80s synthpop elements with quirkier electro ones, all while sleepwalking through lucid lyrics fitting perfectly with last year’s debut record sleeve’s giant, fold-out unicorns. From that record check out single ‘Ambien,’ which revels in this state of unconsciousness. See them live at Glasslands on July 02. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Brooklyn indie rockers Mainland recently released their sophomore EP "Shiner," featuring four diverse songs of driven guitar rock, including noteworthy  single ‘Savant’ (streaming), an upbeat and semi-epic punk rock gem bearing sonic overtones ranging from spaghetti western soundtracks to the irresistible punk-folk of The Pogues. The band, which is scheduled to play Mercury Lounge tonight opening for Made Violent and Bowery Ballroom on June 23 with The Colorist and Field Mouse, has obviously been catching The Bowery Present’s ears, which bodes well for the future, and is enough of an achievement to elevate them to the status of ‘NYC buzz band.’ They also have a couple of shows at NXNE this coming weekend.

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

It’s nice to see emerging NYC bands we highlighted in our blog (and in this case also booked at one of our shows at last year’s CMJ Music Marathon) make progress.  Candide announced the release of their debut EP, out on 06.26. Check out this super chilled single and record opener "Scaredy Cat." 

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

The NYC-based one-man slow-core band Planning For Burial comes at you with some mellow grungy blues that takes us back to some of the early Mercury Rev stuff. The foggy cryptic video for ’29 August 2012′ (streaming) gives you an idea of their blurred and even creepy aesthetics, and- if you watch the show True Detective – it may make you think of Carcosa.  The track appears on the project’s new album ‘Desideratum,’ which was just dropped last month via The Flenser.  PFB started its  tour on June 12th at Europa (supporting Pallbearer with NYC black metal band Yellow Eyes), and will end it with a show at the Grand Victory on July 07. – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)

New Jersey’s Stolen Jars is a definite candidate for one of the summer’s best rootsy pop listens. What started as a solo project by lead vocalist and guitarist, Cody Fitzgerald, evolved into a wonderful duo, featuring Molly Grund on vocals. Live performances include Greg Nissan on guitar, Will Radin on drums, and Tristan Rodman on keys. The group exudes a charming eccentricity fraught with whimsical and yet precise composition and harmony. Alt Magazine awarded Driving (the last track on the album) the Song of The Week, and the track was also featured in this Apple’s IPAD commercial. If you like Dirty Projectors and Animal Collective but wish they were a little more accessible, check these guys out. Keep your eyes peeled and ears squeaky clean for their next album coming out later this summer, and don’t miss their next show at Arlene’s Grocery on 7/8. Check out album opener "Stitches" below. – Rebecca Blandon

Featured on the cover of this mag’s summer 2013 issue, Celestial Shore is a band that – at this stage of their career – chooses to clip its own wings for the sake of doing what they want to do, which is experimenting. But in doing so, they produce the kind of music we want NYC bands to make: adventurous, even quirky at times, but without compromising quality on the songwriting side of things. This being said, Celestial Shore’s songwriting is so good that sometimes we are tempted to think they should tame the craziness and let us enjoy those gorgeous melodies without interference… We noticed the trio back in 2011, when they released debut EP "California Eden," where stunning opener ‘Pals’ already displayed the band’s schizophrenic dual identity: angelic pop melodies, often flawlessly sung in three-way harmonies, get interrupted – and also a little bit raped, if you wish – by nerdy explosions of the most radical math rock. They found a perfect ally in Deerhoof: Greg Saunier mixed their album, and took them on tour around the US earlier this year. Now, that’s a match.

EVENTS: See Celestial Shore Live at Silent Barn on Sunday 06.15 with a gazillion of other NYC based bands.

To all who are feeling down right now, get that frown off your face: It’s time to get happy, Late Cambrian is here! John N. Wlaysewski (guitars, vocals), O (keyboards, vocals) and Nunzio Moudatsos (bass, vocals) are a band that needs no convincing of how great things are. From the crashing rock theatrics of ‘Ryan Gosling,’ to the dance-ready ‘The Year I Cut The Cable’ on their latest record “Peach,” the good times are here right now… and dammit… they’re here to stay. Think of a much more optimistic Strokes, or a less French Phoenix, and you’re close to the sound of this excitable trio. After winning our Best of 2013 Readers’ Poll they’ll be playing our B.E.A.F./Northside ‘Everything Stage’ at The Silent Barn on Sunday June 15.

Links: Read Mike Levine’s Interview with Late Cambrian

Melanie Charles knows the terrain. She has been gaining notoriety in the New York music scene for about four years and is about to step things up with her forthcoming EP Rat Habitat. A Brooklyn-born singer with jazz training and a strong connection to her Haitian heritage, Melanie lends her sultry vocals to riveting lush electro-jazz soundscapes akin to Flying Lotus and his Brainfeeder labelmates. The song and video for her first single, “Gemini” features local indie rappers Phase One and Raydar Ellis and conjures enough of the cat’s meow to keep the rats at bay. – BrokeMc

These guys are playing our Northside show tonight… watch the video, it makes a pretty convincing case.