"Verisimilitude" is what Brooklyn’s Dead Leaf Echo calls their soon to be released EP of high profile remixes. Allowing other noteworthy musicians to re-imagine some of their more well know tracks, the results are creative and dynamic. The Elika mix of "Half Truth" emphasizes a sparse industrial percussion track with rising and falling background vocals, and features an added phrase at the end – “it’s calling out to me – so silent you can see – you tore apart, tore apart – you went through my heart”. “Woogathering” Mark Van Hoen remix opens sans any percussion at all, focusing on a buzzing background while lead vocals are pushed through a similarly buzzy filter. Clean, clock-meter percussion and pulsing synths create further audio motion for the listener. "Half Truth" Spry! remix rises from the misty depths as synth lines trade playfully with cut up and repeated vocal snips. "Act of Truth" Rx Gibbs falling away dub mix presents a full on wall of background vocals with driving percussion front and center. Slithery bass guitar creates an alternate motion while vocals faded in and out of the mix join with rushing synth pads. The EP will be relased on May 31st on Custom Made records, and the band play a release party at Pianos on May 19. – Dave Cromwell

It’s been a long time coming. The East Coast / West Coast / Dirty South rivalry in the hip hop game has been a tool of media sensationalism and a catalyst for violence for long enough. The time has come for the styles to merge, the characteristics defining each area code bleeding into each other generating an era of hip hop where artists are finally celebrated for their individual skill and artistry. Max Burgundy is one of these prospectors braving the new frontier. From his West-coast delivery and pronunciation you would never imagine that he was born in the Bronx and now lives in Brooklyn. However, his East-coast beats bump with a levity that sets them apart from the scores of “hard” beats prevailing in the NYC scene. He’s like the missing member of Living Legends transplanted to the birthplace of the art, his deep baritone calling out to the masses to join him in the march towards global unification. He rocked Arlene’s Grocery last week, check out his twitter profile for upcoming gigs.

Mp3: Max Burgundy – "Hey Love"

Click on the cover image (or here) to get to the pdf file – it’s The Deli’s Best of NYC issue!

Deep from the frost of the long winter a new band has emerged with a broad primeval sound, plotting for you to step on and blow your little urban mind. Snowmine may have been covered up in the studio for over a year but now they’re finally self-releasing their 1st record "Laminate Pet Animal" this month. It brings to mind a pastoral sweeping range of tones which go from longing drifting acoustics to electric drum patterns soaring with expansive horn sounds. Mixed by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, My Morning Jacket) this 9 song album brings exactly to mind the fruit of influences and will share them live with you a their CD release show at Pianos on May 14. See them also live at The Rock Shop on May 27 – Simon Heggie

Melancholy lovers, rejoice! Naked Hearts (Deli CD of the month some time last year) have a new dreamy single, and it’s free to stream on Bandcap, which means that your weekend is going to have some sun to it, notwithstanding the weather forecast. The band is playing Glasslands on May 19 with Keepaway (Deli cover band in the Fall issue 2010) & She Keeps Bees (also awesome). Be there!

Formerly known as GAMES, Joel Ford and Daniel Lopatin recently rebranded themselves due to complications in trademarking the original name. Choosing to go by simply their surnames might be indicative of this struggle, but stripping away their old identity has done nothing to soften the duo’s sound. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s feature on the band here.

The Lower East Side, NYC based Prospector (formerly Doppelganger) play a refreshing brand of rock and roll that is smart, riff-based and with a healthy dose of swagger. R. Francis (guitar), Ryan Oh-No (drums / vocals) and Joey Hamm (bass) seem to draw their inspiration from classic guitar bands of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Their debut EP "Get It Over With Already" is chock full of this vibe. – Read Dave Cromwell’s interview with the band here. Prospector, winner of The Deli’s band of the month in October 2011, will be playing the Deli’s NYC B.E.A.F. 2011 at Cameo on May 26 with Ravens & Chimes, Dream Diary, Invisible Days, Dinowalrus and Translations.

A fixture of Brooklyn’s art scene since 1997, Oneida may be one of one of the borough’s oldest continuing art rock ensembles. An institution of sorts, the band has always been out in front of the trends, from Sonic Youth-inspired noise to the complicated rhythms influencing a lot of what we hear today on labels like Thrill Jockey.
For the last couple years, they’ve embarked on a hugely ambitious 200 minute, 3-part epic ambiguously titled album "The Thank Your Parents Triptych." The previous two installments have been high on concept, low on initiation. But with their latest record, Absolute II, the sounds I usually look for in this group are nowhere to be found.
The most striking change being the total absence of drumming throughout. For me, one of Oneida’s highlights has always been the frenetic energy of drummer Kid Millions, so to not hear his kit at all was an unexpected departure. After listening through several times though, I found the lack of rhythm beds and patterned hooks in these four tracks surprisingly meditative. ‘Grey Area’ for instance, makes me imagine an electric razor is rolling around my brain… (in a good way). Opener ‘Pre-Human’ hints at a huge sonic landscape, while maintaining a soft, relaxing pulse throughout. This is a physical record, and needs to be walked around in, lived in for some time before you’re able to get a feel for its dense, complex landscape.
Check out the the first single ‘Horizon’ at Oneida’s bandcamp here to get an idea of where they’ve taken things for yourself. The album comes out June 7 on Jagjaguwar. – Mike Levine (@goldnuggets)

You should know by now that we like Lia Ices – she graced the cover of our issue 25 of The Deli NYC (issue 26 out tomorrow by the way!). We heard through Facebook that she just released this lo-fi kinda weird video for the song "Grown Unknown". We dig.

Here’s your daily dose of Brooklyn Made lo-fi psych rock with surf influences, folks! Xray Eyeballs have a new video for the song "Egyptian Magic"! Currently on a west coast tour, the band will be back in Brooklyn with a show at 285 Kent Ave on May 28.

NYC Indie pop charmers Savoir Adore (read a Deli interview from last year here) have few busy weeks ahead with 4 shows scheduled in the NYC area and the release of a new single – which you can stream/download under this blurb – entitled "Listen to Sparrow". They’ll be playing at The Brooklyn Museum with MEN on May 13th at 7.30 and at Glasslands on May 26th with French Horn Rebellion.

Mp3: Savoir Adore – "Sparrow"

Park Slope’s premium venue Southpaw will host a "Rock Against Cancer" show on Thursday May 12 involving a rather eclectic mix of local artists. Celebrated Funk/Hip Hop group The Lifted Crew (pictured) are headlining this event. Amongst the openers, The Bottom Dollars (who recently released their debut album The Halcyon Days) will bring to the stage a cornucopia of lush vocal harmonies and classically familiar rock and soul, while Flearoy will offer their uplifting blend of folk, funk and jazz. We will cover opener band The Times as soon as they will change their band name to something a little more "Google-able". The concert will also include a raffle featuring autographed sports items, bar tabs and gift certificates to local restaurants. The show will donate the proceeds to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Team in Training. Tickets can be purchased here.