Sometimes we get these press releases in the mail saying that a band we’ve never heard of just signed with a super cool label, and we look at each other (as if we were more than one) with a puzzled expression: "who the heck are these guys?". Today "these guys" are two zany guys involved in lo-fi psych-folk duo Foxygen, based 50% in Astoria, NYC and 50% in Olympia, WA, who recently signed to Jagjaguwar. Following a very non-chalant musical recipe which seems to phagocytize any musical influence every imagined since 1957, these guys’ songs certainly don’t lack in character. Think of it as a hipster, but also somewhat retro, version of They Might Be Giant. Fun!

An old Deli NYC favorite, Violens released their new album "True" with a very emphatic set last Wednesday at Le Poisson Rogue. The band, fronted by former Lansing-Dreiden art collective member Jorge Elbrecht, filled the audience’s need for both the angular and the melodic sides of the musical spectrum. The new material betrays and enhances the band’s fascination with the dream-pop sounds of the 80s, where a tight and square rhythm section gets glossed over with soaring didactic vocals and clean, fluid guitars. With the band now touring to Japan in promotion of their new LPlet’s hope they return to NYC soon this year. -Simon Heggie

We’ve been following Brooklyn based mellow core trio SoftSpot for a few months now, and they seem to be going through a particularly inspired time. After coming out with a noteworthy batch of songs showcasing a more mature and complete sound, the band has just released a stunning video of "The Cleansing Hour" – streaming below. They also announced that they will be playing at the (Deli sponsored) Rooftop Films night on May 25 at Lower East Side’s Open Road Rooftop on 350 Grand Street in Manhattan. Following their performance, treat yourself to a night of "Dark Cartoons".

There are a lot of stories floating around New York. But with so much emphasis on sculpting obtuse dreamscape imagery and lyrical hieroglyphs in music these days, it can be easy to forget the power that rock can have when it comes to just telling a good story, without all the fuss. Three piece The Immaculates is bringing back the form in a big way.

In a strange way, this band reminds me of James Murphy more than perhaps any other artist working right now. And I’m not just referring to their penchant for old-school rock jams fit for bootyshaking either. Perhaps I’m just waxing nostalgic, but I miss the role of the NYC storyteller relating his experiences for the rest of us, supplicated on a clean and simple texture. We don’t have enough of these artists these days, and The Immaculates make up for this deficit with songs ranging from how they spent their christmas, to how their friends are spending their Spring.

For the band, New York is full of engaging characters and drama, and it’s refreshing to hear them build solid basslines and rolling drumlines around these landmarks.- Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Originally the solo project of Vincent Cacchione, Caged Animals evolved from a handful of rough, acoustic recordings to the beautiful, synthetic soundscape so lushly laid out on their recent album “Eat Their Own”. This man-made dreamland is delicately built on exquisitely arranged synths that pull from the gentler end of the 80s new wave canon, but Cacchione seems less like a new wave revivalist and more like a 21st century successor. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s interview with the band here, and don’t miss the band show at The Deli’s NYC B.E.A.F. on Wednesday May 23 at Brooklyn Bowl with Zambri and AIMES.

Thanks to their their interactive, fantastical and always unique performances a la’ Flaming Lips (but on an indie budget), the musical collective Futurist is building a reputation in NYC. The band doesn’t really need the added theatrics to draw attention to their music, but it is a well-executed bonus. On their debut "War Is Yesterday," Futurist constructs a colorful, vivacious musical terrain filled with good vibes. – Read Nancy Chow’s interview with the band here, and don’t miss the band’s performance at Public Assembly on May 24, within The Deli’s NYC B.E.A.F. with In One Wind, Xenia Rubinos, Pass Kontrol, Illumintr, Wazu and many more!

Residencies are awesome. Why, you ask? Because they are like a statement from a venue’s booking agent that says: "these guys are good and you should check them out!" And venues’ talent scouts definitely know a thing of two about emerging bands…

Brooklyn duo (via Las Vegas) Magmana landed a 3 night residency at Gowanus’ The Rock Shop. The band’s most intriuing song "Watch the Ball" (streaming below) is a subdued indie-pop gem in the vein of Grandaddy and Air. Sincere male and female harmonized voices tie together the many musical ingredients at work, ranging from a rootsy overall attitude to psychedelic-ish instrumental breaks with minimalistic electronic flourishes. Other tracks found on their Facebook profile are a little more conventional atmospheric numbers with bluesy overtones, mostly featuring Ms Joan Tick’s melancholic alto in a very stripped down musical environment. See them live at The Rock Shop on May 23 or May 30.

NYC’s David E. Beats of the White House Band has been just taking his signature “New vogue” style of hip hop to a new level. Known for his dynamic solo performances in which he raps and plays guitars amidst smoke and flashing lights, he is also a gifted producer and demonstrates his prowess on the recently released "Renaissance Mixtape." Flurries of chopped samples propelled by slamming drums give D.E.B. an elegant platform to launch his lyrics from. He manifests his swagger with elegance and practiced technique. Altogether there can be no dispute that the "Renaissance Mixtape" is of museum-quality. Add this limited piece to your collection for free – download here. – BrokeMC

This past weekend, Austin, TX’s Fiesta Gardens hosted the fifth annual Pachanga Fest on May 11 and 12, a celebration of Latin art and culture’s influence in America. Numerous genres were represented on the three stages, from rock, tejano, mariachi, cumbia, salsa, electronic, funk, hip hop, to indie, and although the origins or the artists were just as varied, all attendees were united by the appreciation of the vibrant and eclectic art. Day one started at sundown, and Peligrosa, Austin’s DJ troupe, entertained between Houston’s Chingo Bling, New York’s Outernational , and Puerto Rico’s Calle 13, a collaborator on Outernational’s latest, “Todos Somo Ilegales.” The second day began with Mexican alternative quintet, Umano Ache from Laredo, TX, followed by a second Outernational appearance. Half-New York-based, half Brazil- based, flautist-led Forro in the Dark, and acclaimed Chilean rapper, Ana Tijoux, followed suit on the Hierba Stage. Just across the park, pop singer/songwriter out of Austin, David Garza serenaded, and funky and psychedelic Brownout played the main Pavilion stage along with LA’s all girl, rock trio, Girl in a Coma. The weekend closed with a set by Latino blues-rock legends, Los Lonely Boys. Pachanga Fest was a sunny and inspiring weekend, full of sounds that any music enthusiast should check out in the future. – Meijin Bruttomesso