The local NYC rap sensation and key member of Miami’s Idee4 known as Shottie has just dropped an unbreakable LP titled ‘The Blackest Rose’ via 95 Labs in Brooklyn. The 10-track LP kicks off with “Black Roses,” a track that will get you committed to listening to the rest of the album. Shottie’s clear and flowing rapping style is accompanied by a dark, almost psychedelic arrangement, which, combined with his smooth, fast and concise rhyming, creates a rather unique atmosphere. You can listen to that track below and/or pick up the full album for free via the label’s Bandcamp page. – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)

For the holidays we thought you might enjoy some rad articles we published in our magazine in these 9 years of existence.

Here’s a piece about the Brooklyn DIY Scene we printed back in in 2008 (The Deli NYC’s issue #17). In the image, a section of that issue’s cover depicting Crystal Stilts live at now defunct (but hopefully on its way back) DIY venue Market Hotel.

We published this interview with Matt and Kim back in 2007, and about one year later, when the band surged in popularity, the page started getting a serious amount of traffic. A little bit of digging in our Google Analytics account revealed that the world had suddenly developed a curiosity about the marital status of the two Brooklyn musicians – were they a couple, were they not? Our interview had the answer, although kind of outdated by then. The magic word that created all this traffic was – yes, you guessed it – "dating," used in the band’s 4th answer.

That widespread curiosity lasted about 3 years (the band’s "golden years" 2008-2011), with an extra, smaller bump in 2012 after the release of their latest record.

It’s pretty hilarious to read through the queries Googled by Matt and Kim’s fans  (see picture on the left, this is just a fraction of hundreds of different ones). I think the winner here is "is kim the drummer in matt and kim dating matt" – which should have actually been "is kim the drummer in matt and kim dating matt the guitarist/singer in matt and kim?" – you know, you’ve gotta be as specific as possible when you Google something… or "is matt and kim are not dating" which is at once a question and an answer (wishful thinking, huh?).

Full disclosure: This astonoshing discovery prompted our marketing staff to embed – as a playful experiment – a hidden "dating" word in all The Deli’s feature pages. Sadly, this ethically dubious trick produced pathetic results: While Matt and Kim’s page got more than 20k hits because of the legitimate info it contained, the second most popular artist with a "dating query" was Rachel Platten, at – ahem – 12 hits. 

Delicate and detailed, ‘Bite Fresh Air’ by one year old Brooklyn band Icewater (streaming) is a song of understated dexterity, all meandering melodies exploring the soundscape, waves of color and visions of yearning. Not a folk song, it is though earnest and entrancing, with shifting strains of elegant guitars and a hazy spirit that lays over droney synths and hypnotic, gentle beats. Although housing a bittersweet sound that surely must be imposed by the listener (given that it was recorded before the tragic and sudden death of founder member Grant Martin in July this year), there’s a gentle warming feel to it that endures and endears throughout its wandering. The song is taken from the band debut album "Collectors Edition" whose release will be celebrated with a show at Baby’s All Right on February 1st. – Francesca Baker

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

If you like garage rock done right, the all-female luminaries known as Desert Sharks are your first Christmas gift of the season. Their semi-polished garage rock with heavy surf/punk influences and (for the genre) clean female vocals is an intriguing addition to the expansive Brooklyn garage scene. Taking a little after late 80’s punk bands like X and The Misfits, Desert Sharks take you back to a more graceful time for punk music. Check out their latest EP titled ‘Sister Cousins‘ below via Bandcamp! – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)

The ’60s never really died, they just came back with better haircuts and cooler names for their drummers (seriously, you’re not going to find a better name than Quitty Bastardo). Meet Quitty and the Don’ts, Northern Soul revivalists with fantastic suits to match. The Brooklyn five-piece is channeling Mod better than most bands from across the pond for their latest 45", ‘All of You / No Damage Done.’ It just goes to show: music that’s this much fun, belongs to every decade. Check out side B farfisa filled ‘No Damage Done’ below. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for coverage here.

Despite starting with chimes of melodic summer wistfulness, once the deadbeat conversational lyrics of Dog Water’s debut single "Forget Your Life" hit us, it is clear we are descended into the underbelly of… the city, the life, the mind, all three and beyond, and the multiple dimensions that inhabits them. Multi-genre mash, the style is one of a collage of sepia Polaroids, incongruous on paper, awesome for audio: dreamy melodies, frantic power chords, loud-quiet-loud moments… it all sounds like C86 stretched to the new millennium. Catch them at Glasslands on the 23rd with Chimes, Exploded View, Bob and Martha for some alternative (and fuzzy) Christmas sparkle. – Francesca Baker

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

Nieces of ’70s folk legend Harry Chapin, The Chapin Sisters (Abigail and Lily Chapin) have set several Everly Brothers songs to new harmonies, and new personalities. Where once these tracks sounded sugar-coated, The Chapin Sisters have instead poured some bitters and molasses over these hits, and reconstructed them to hit some notes The Everly Brothers probably didn’t expect to hear when they first penned these tunes.

It looks like their experiment worked. Funding the record entirely through Kickstarter, the ladies are now set to take it on tour, supporting She & Him on the road next summer. See the sisters in the video for ‘Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet’ below, where they sound (and look, in a cold defying way) great. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

After maintaining a relentless touring schedule in 2013 that saw them play hundreds of shows all across the country, Brooklyn’s Dead Leaf Echo close out the year in New York City this Saturday night (12.21) supporting 90’s dreampop legends The Ocean Blue at Bowery Ballroom (on the bill also NYC rockers Dead Heart Bloom). The release of DLE’s debut album “Thought & Language” was a long time in the making, but proved to be well worth the wait. Literary in both scope and vision, the sonic qualities accompanying themes of conception, birth, childhood and ultimately a "Kingmaker" (see video below) are enveloped in a shimmering quality. Bringing in legendary 4AD producer John Fryer to mix the tracks showed a serious level of commitment to the overall sound quality. The album is now being released on vinyl, and can be ordered via their website. – Dave Cromwell

We’ve been fans of Snowmine for a while – so much so that we featured them on the cover of our NYC issue #31 in the summer of 2012. These guys’ indie pop is so reassuring it almost feels like music made by (slightly sad) angels. We are excited to hear this new, truly beautiful single entitled "Columbus" from their upcoming album "Dialects," scheduled for a February 2014 release.

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

LVL UP is a combination of members of Sirs and Spook Houses, and deliver a natural blend between alternative rock and heart felt singing / songwriting. Juxtaposing melodic ballad-like material with some very tight heavy rhythms, they manage to maintain a tension that sounds like it could all come crashing down at any moment. Their sound truly resonates a 90’s era "crooked guitar pop-rock" vibe – think Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement. Nic Corbo’s delivery specifically reminds us of Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters, at times the similarities are uncanny. The LVL UP live shows tend to be raucous sing alongs that are bound to be a load of fun. Check them out at Silent Barn in Brooklyn this Saturday Dec. 21st with Julia Brown, Alex G, High Pop, Pill Friends, and Olive Drab. – Joey Fish

What happens when a hip-hop duo joins forces with an Irish singer/songwriter? Smooth synth-pop is not exactly the first thing that pops to mind… Pursuing a relentless effort to make sure their music goes down spread just like butter, the collaborative group Con Vos merges Brooklyn folk artist and proud tenor Sorcha Richardson with beat-tastic duo Fortunate Ones, to carve out a place for both of these musicians that hasn’t yet been unearthed. Their single ‘Central Park’ (at almost 34k hits on SoundCloud!) is one of the catchiest odes to everyone’s fave park you’ll hear. Check it out below and look out for their debut EP ‘Cocoon Bloom,’ due out early next year. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

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