Uptown overdrive champs Guilty Giraffe shine on their newly released self titled LP, incorporating an aggressive smattering of varied guitar-driven subgenera over the course of ten immaculately-produced tracks. From the introductory “Babyface” the Yonkers quartet makes their love of effects pedals well-known, quickly pivoting from a shoegazing overture to dream-pop arpeggios; this dynamic blend of sounds dark and bright continues well-through album standouts like “Xanax” and “Washed Out,” wherein frontman Mathew McGinnis’s growling vox shifts between grungy, full-throated yells and plainspoken singspeak, a delightful performance that places him somewhere between Kevin Shields and Andrew WK. With acrobatic licks and a penchant for the occasional, experimental soundscape (“Cool as a Fan”), Guilty Giraffe shreds through and through — listen to our premiere stream of the record below, and catch the band at Berlin on March 1st.

T.V.O.D. (short for Television Overdose) detail generational sins and derail American exceptionalism on single “Wallmart,” infusing their patented brand of “disco-punk” into a white knuckle introduction. A post-punk vocal delivery by frontman Tyler Wright helps to establish the outfit’s raw bona fides, a raw sound made danceable (and moshable) by bright electric guitars and rapid-fire drumming. Sardonic one liners abound (“All hail the Burger King” / “Would you like a cheeseburger, I think I’m gonna black out”) to make this single the groovy protest anthem it is, one that’ll be right at home with fans of LCD Soundsystem and Franz Ferdinand. Listen below, and catch T.V.O.D. at Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness on February 22nd. —Connor Beckett McInerney

“Mermaids (Hafgua),” the latest single by New York artist (and erstwhile Deli NYC contributor) Susan Moon finds its niche in the space between minimalistic electronica and sound collage, a disparate collection of textures electronic and analogue. Solitary synths intertwine with the sounds of an ocean tide as Moon’s haunting vocal performance drifts through the scene, contributing to a melancholy, lonely final product. Susan Moon’s stumbling melodic phrasing, alongside her choice to incorporate field recordings embeds this track with a disorienting energy; with no percussive backbone tethering it to a familiar structure, one can’t help but feel lost at sea while listening, themselves at the whim of the artist’s winding, accessibly avant-garde craft. Stream it below, and catch Moon at the Well on February 19th, opening for Renny Conti.

The lofi indie of JW Francis has a permissive, mellow quality, the type of music you might use as the soundtrack to a Super 8 home movie of you and your friends chilling about Prospect Park on a perfect summer day — and this vibe continues with his infectiously chill latest single “Everything.” Against blue wave chords and psych production stylings, Francis’ vox lazily drifts through the scene, sliding and homespun, espousing both a desire to tell his beloved that “he wants to tell [them] everything,” but also “wants to see what we can figure out on our own.” A short sweet song on discerning life’s enchanting mysteries in time, it’s perfect for fans of artists such as Makeout Videotape or Soko — listen below ahead of his show on Thursday, February 20th at Berlin.

New York and Philly-based indie trio Personal Trainer modulate between energies hushed and explosive on debut single “Backyard,” a standout first release that demonstrates the group’s aptitude for powerfully anthemic songwriting. This is in large part due to the immense restraint that separates the track’s verses from its immediately sing-alongable chorus; underpinning lead vocalist Melina Harris’ initially quiet performance are the soft palpitations of a muted percussive backbone and feedback-adjacent guitar arpeggios, both of which come to the precipice of burning it all down before artfully scaling back. Personal Trainer’s balancing act eventually leads to a rip-roaring, instantly memorable vamp (“Well I’m making the rules as I go”), accentuated by harmonies and scorching garage rock riffs, delivering a satisfying, triumphant listen. No NYC gigs on the horizon (though they are playing in New Haven on May 26th), so stream the track below in the meantime. —Connor Beckett McInerney

A healthy dose of synth and dream pop inform “Wundergurl,” the debut single by Jersey City indie trio June Pageant, a fitting introduction to their relaxed, lounge-friendly bops. Written by members Lauren Rosato and Oscar Suh-Rodriguez (the latter formerly of no-holds barred punk project NoPop), the track quickly hits its stride, transitioning from sparse keys and percussion to a brighter, fuller sound as bright, overdriven guitar riffing emerges in the tracks second-half. This instrumental interplay between colder and warmer elements underlines Rosato’s vocal calming vocal performance, which serves as the track’s centerpiece and keeps things delightfully cool, but never sleepy. Recommended for fans of RHYE and Parcels, we’re excited to hear what else June Pageant has to offer in the (hopefully) near future — until them, stream out premiere of “Wundergurl” below.

Coming off their raucous first round win at Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness, it’s as good a time as ever to revisit Woodstock by-way-of NYC garage band the Bobby Lees and their energetic sound. 2018’s BEAUTY PAGEANT (rerecorded last year with new tracks in a REDUX format) rips and thrills, due in no small part to Sam Quartin’s frothy vocal delivery, an unhinged, at times drawling performance that well-complements the outfit’s grungy, melodic guitar rock. Listening to PAGEANT is a breathless experience with few downtempo pauses, the majority of its tracks a breakneck, white hot fury; rendered live, it’s an absolute barnburner. Give it a listen below ahead of their Winter Madness quarterfinals performance next weekend. 

Brooklyn-based indie rock quartet (and presumed tomato-enthusiasts) Marinara provide charismatic lofi indie rock on I Feel Like Dog, a fresh LP evocative of early-2010s college radio rock and their erstwhile 90s slacker compatriots. Tracks like “Desert Schtick” and “Ugly Sleeper” wouldn’t be out of place on a Double Double Whammy compilation, with Nick Cortezi’s plainspoken vocal performance interweaving between warm riffing and a progressive pace. This isn’t to say the entirety of the album is a sunny romp — the band leaves space for downtempo moments of respite on “Marie,” “The Orchid,” and “The Wasp,” the last of which characterized by an unpretentious, six-minute build to one of the record’s best instrumental performances; Cortezi’s season-spanning recollection and quiet vox leads to epic shreds and an energetic percussive breakdown. These various highs and lows help to make I Feel Like Dog the very, very good record that it is — listen to it below ahead of their show at the Footlight on February 16th. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Demo is a cursory, two-track offering by Brooklyn-based five piece Oil Bay, one that despite its short nine-minute run time firmly establishes the band’s ear for enchanting garage and tactile synths. A-Side “STRANGERdemo” builds mystery with its noir-inspired melodies and instrumentation, rife with lurid allusions to late night tales and heavy-compress guitars, opening with equal measures of disorienting keys and screaming strings, this downtempo energy fading with the introduction of “SpacesuitDEMO” and its accompanying breakbeat pace. With no shortage of reverb and a flexibility to incorporate experimental electronic accents into their lofi sound Oil Bay is tailor-made for listeners looking for gritty, noisy Indie rock — listen below, and catch them at C’Mon Everybody on April 7th.

Did everyone have a good Saturday? Because High Waisted certainly did. Their recently dropped “Boys Can’t Dance,” the first single off the upcoming Sick of Saying Sorry is a triumphant ode to the weekend, a power ballad on jumping headfirst into the frenzy, inhibitions-be-damned — and it’s accompanying video further emphasizes this hedonism en force. Frontwoman and guitarist Jessica Louise Dye’s powerful vox, proclaims how cutting a rug and letting loose is the perfect panacea to “[being] stuck inside [your] own head,” atop visuals of a wild bachelorette party and body positive male stripping. Massive riffs and danceable melodies abound, indicative of the garage and surf-infused energy we can expect from their new record, out May 22nd. Until then, watch their new video below, and catch High Waisted at Mercury Lounge on February 22nd. —Connor Beckett McInerney, Photo by Michael Todaro

The average temperature in Italy can swell to 80-plus (Fahrenheit) during the summer, producing a sweltering heat that puts New York’s warm season to shame. One can imagine these dry months played into the creation of “Fratello Gemma” by New York-based, Italian born musician Nico LaOnda — the track’s accompanying visuals feature a sweaty tennis match, but the music itself is a lurid, downtempo new wave bop, one that immediately evokes feelings of a hot August afternoon, spent (ideally) in the shade sipping Campari. LaOnda’s vocal performance and Italian lyricism lend to the track’s sweet electronic components in creating a forlorn energy, a recollection of summers past. Watch the video below ahead of LaOnda’s performance on February 12th at Our Wicked Lady.

Kickass is perhaps the most apt name for Brooklyn-duo Venus Twins debut offering, a white knuckle punk drum and bass EP that thrills and chills over the course of five short tracks. Introductory “Addition” sets the tone for this release, wherein repetitive, sludgy bass licks and tightly wound drumming throw listeners into the pit, with later tracks “Meet is Murder” and “DOOM // CRUCIFY” introducing more melodic elements to the band’s sound, the former indulging in occasional math-y rhythmic breakdowns and a joint vocal performance by bandmembers and brothers Jake and Matt Derting. Closer “Vile” is the EP’s most unhinged and industrial effort, filled with dooming breakdowns and screaming vox, showing that while minimalistic hardcore may be Venus Twins bread and butter, they’re not afraid to get really, really weird with it. Stream Kickass below, and catch the band at Trans-Pecos on February 10th. —Connor Beckett McInerney