In 2012, it’s not quite clear anymore what someone means when they say they are a DJ. With electronic dance music soaring, Electro-rock continuing its steady march of dominance in the indie scene, hip hop DJs holding strong, and experimental DJs as weird and out there as ever, anyone from Deadmau5 to your neighbor who figured out how to hack his old Gameboy Color can claim the moniker. Not to mention The Drums on their night off or the guy who scratches records behind 50 Cent and grew up idolizing Jam Master Jay . But what about someone who combines elements of all four DJ ideologies? Last Saturday, NYC DJs Obey City (pictured) and Quam took over a Williamsburg’s Mezz packed with hipsters and showed us what that one might look like. With hip-hop beats and EDM-style chords, voices and sounds thrown in just to keep you off guard, and a steady, chill vibe to it, DJs like these guys are not only doing it right, they are doing it all. – Max Lefkowitz

If you’ve ever seen a Bollywood film, you may be familiar with some of the cacophony in Brooklyn’s Trabajo. Lending an otherworldly dimension to their brand of psychedlia, in in "Black Practice" swirling vocals are projected through a Bombay percussion and horn arrangement, while the washing machine of the world’s folk instruments are blended even further in their latest single ‘Monk.’ For how strange this band’s palette is, you’ll find yourself unexpectedly sucked into their peculiar collages. A lot of freaks talk a big game, but Trabajo works it in a way that might have made Olivia Tremor Control proud. See them when they play Brooklyn Fireproof on May 5th. – Mike Levine – Trabajo submitted their music to The Deli for review here.

NYC electro-pop duo Dinasty Electric has built a good amount of momentum in the last few months, culminating with today’s release of their new self-titled full length. The band’s rather accessible material is enhanced by sophisticated electronic elements both in the audio and video realms. We have some goods for you to watch and listen to: here‘s the video from their softer single "Eye Wide Open,"  while below you’ll find a stream of their new and more upbeat single "Oasis". Dinasty Electric will celebrate the CD release tonight (06.27) with a show at Glasslands, and then leave for a 10 day east coast tour.

The recently revived CBGB legacy celebrates its return to New York with a four day festival from July 5th to 8th, 2012. Focusing on both legendary acts and emerging young bands, the event will not only feature music, but film premieres and screenings, as well as industry panels for musicians. The highlight show is a free concert at Summerstage in Central Park on July 7 featuring Guided By Voices, The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart, War On Drugs and Cloud Nothings. Lots of "original regulars" of the old CBGB’s will be performing, including Liv Tyler’s mother, ex model, Playboy Playmate and queen of groupies Bebe Buell and her band at Highline Ballroom on July 5, and NY Dolls’ frontman David Johansen at Sullivan Hall on that same night. Lots of emerging NYC artists will be involved too, more about this in the next few days. For detailed information on line up schedules and to purchase festival passes go here. – Dave Cromwell

We already praised Brooklyn Hunters‘ super-tense approach to noise-rock in more than one occasion (they were our NYC record of the month in February). Well it looks like NYC reigning noise champions A Place to Bury Strangers also have taken notice of this sonically uncompromising duo. The band (whose debut EP was partly mixed by YYY’s guitarist Nick Zinner) just released the new single "Street Trash" (streaming below) and announced a July East Coast tour with A Place to Bury Strangers. It’s going to be like a series sonic blasts across the coast, indeed!

I’ll admit it, I first heard of Queen Orlenes through producer Tim Powell’s epic remix for ‘Bones.’ On their EP ‘Helicopters,’ the track sounds like something Feist might have contributed to a Broken Social Scene session. While Powell places singer Brooke X’s casual contralto over an insistent backbeat for his mix, it sounds equally powerful on the band’s own recordings. In fact, this ability to expand and contract on demand marks a rare skill that Brooke and band pull off convincingly.

There’s the sharp opener ‘Helicopters’ for instance (streaming below). Here’s a song with a groove as haunting as anything you might be missing from Portishead, complete with a rousing wash of strings from the Bergersen String Quartet. Equally, the other three tracks on the EP highlight a group with the confidence to effortlessly balance dynamic power over steady groove. Even with their first release now just a couple months old, this is a group that sounds like they’ve been making it happen for years. So hopefully they’ll be announcing some new dates soon… – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

After months of ambiguity, MS MR have finally begun playing live, giving only a slight glimpse into the world of the mysterious duo. Comprised of a woman and man (the MS half may or may not be named Liz), MS MR has released a demo album and a single with accompanying music videos, but that’s about it. Following the example of another rather successful NYC boy/girls duo, Cults, they don’t divulge their identities, they don’t show their faces on press photos, and they certainly don’t grant interview (at least for now). But, really… do we care about all this stuff? No we don’t, all we care about is their music, and the single “Hurricane” has a lot of things to say: a tremendously enjoyable blue soul-pop gem, the song is built around MS’ beautiful melody – the lady has a voice to kill for, with a peculiar mixture of sweetness and severity. In the background, a light and ambient trip-hoppy electronic arrangement work some magic against pounding mid tempo electronic drums. The band is also likely to be originally from the UK, which is possibly where their dream and drone sound originates. They may not be eager to expose their inner workings, but MS MR do have a musical focus to back their secretive attitude. See them at Santos Party House tomorrow June 27 before they leave for a July west coast tour. – Devon Antonetti

Some eight months ago, Grassfight was another new indie band emerging onto the cluttered scene of a broad ‘post-punk’ heritage. Offering a certainly promising debut with “Icon, an EP”, the currently NYC based trio was still facing a tough fight ahead: to break through the endless cast of half-hearted shoegazers and other Joy Division-bred acts around. Mission accomplished?

Yes, sir. As we welcome the first single off their upcoming EP “Icon N.2”, time to give credit where credit due. Effective for one, “Look Homeward, Heathen” blends the ominousness of New Wave revivers like Interpol with the fever of earlier Strokes classics in a tight, most delightfully unhinging cocktail of binary Krautrock-infused drumbeats and string fuzz, the whole led along with an angst-fuelled speed rush by Nathan Forster’s hyper-distorted lead tenor. Progressively, a glacial wall of sound rises from the depths of shivering basslines and tingling guitar riffs, growing denser as the track heads towards its peak in an effusion of minor tones. Upbeat, catchy, and as moreish as a preview should be, “Look Homeward, Heathen” sets the tone for an exciting record to come; sadly though, we’ve got a month to wait until it is released (on July 24th!). – Tracy Mamoun

In the intimate video for Frances Cone‘s latest track ‘Come Back,’ it’s hard to say whether she’s finding or losing love. If there’s one thing I’m already sure of after watching the video, directed by Sundance cinematographer Hillary Spera, it’s that Cone has a singular ability to co-exist in several world simultaneously. Her moods shift quickly here between homely intimacy and moody emotion almost at once. Even while pleading for the lover to come back, it’s somewhat unclear if Cone’s missing her boy… if her boy is missing her… if her little girl is missing her mom… no matter. These and other questions should have a chance to be addressed when her new record drops (produced by the great Dan Molad who was behind Lucius’ last effort) later this summer.

See the Brooklyn singer-songwriter’s many moods when she performs at The Studio on July 21st with Ron Pope. – Mike Levine

Ah, the simple joys of dancing, drinking and puppets. Jersey band The Everymen have developed a sizable audience by creating the kind of music designed to perfectly compliment each of these activities, although the soundtrack of their puppet shows might be too noisy for kids.

Much of the band’s live recordings from their latest release ‘Seconds as an English Language (Live from Asbury Park),’ document a career spent convincing their audience to stop thinking so hard, and get down to the business at hand. This business can range from such activities as smoking tar (‘Rotten Smokes’) or insistent ruminations on inebriation (‘I Might Be Drinking’). However the sound pours down your ears, it’ll surely leave you in a better place than where you started. Such is the magic of The Everymen.

The band just finished studio recordings of their new album, which should be announced in early July. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

It takes a special kind of confidence to name your group I’m in You, but with the naked honesty in elecro-charmer ‘Sure,’ I’m starting to believe this is exactly what singer Chris McHenry wants to do with… you. The unexpectedly catchy 5-piece loves a good drum machine, but the band makes it their own when placed underneath the twists and turns of their rolling bass, clashing guitars and even occassional horns and strings on display in their second LP "Songs". Standout song "DMNR" (streaming below) brings to mind a bouncier version of icy Brits Clinic, but caught us by surprise with its explosive chorus. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets) – I’m in You submitted their music for review here.

For a band buried in fictional roots, The Dust Engineers have a very lasting effect. The band started out in the mind of leader Zachary Meyer as a solo project soundtrack for a fictional South Dakota teenager on a roadtrip. The Ziggy Stardust-eqsue idealized singer songwriter idea didn’t pan out, but his songs stuck and a real band was formed around it did. Dust Engineers have a 90’s sound with alt-country influence, with wailing guitars over a bouncy, poppy melodies from the male-female vocals of Meyer and Sara Maeder. The group released a self-titled EP last year, following with the single “Snot Nosed Dweed” this June. See them on June 23 at somebody’s Bushwick apartment on 13 Thames St, 3rd floor.