The sheer volume of this album is bound to be a deal-breaker for some listeners; it may even serve to deflect some of the musical variety on offer for those seeking simple guitar rock. Yet for the thoughtful listener there is much to appreciate here. “Saturn,” its opening track,” flutters and screeches, hanging in suspension as any good intro might. “Hypnagog” is the album’s full-scale launch, however, pitched somewhere between the muscular metal of the Melvins and the more orthodox hardcore-punk from which this band is clearly spawned. The hybridity is escalated by the song’s modulating sections, which shift in rhythm and intensity throughout (and revel in acid-laced deviations of noise and lyrics). “End Times” is built on a minor chord guitar dirge and pounding rhythm, each taken from the Black Sabbath playbook, yet juxtaposed by screamed vocals meant more to confront than to articulate. “Gille de Rais,” a song one assumes is about the French hero of the Hundred Years’ War (15th Century), is the closest Conduit comes to modern psychedelic music. Its menacing rhythm gives rise to a thick wall of guitar pedal distortion which skirts the line between post-rock and metal. (The album cover even looks like one by Godspeed! You Black Emperor.) “Parasites” is the closest to straight-up hardcore; yet even here the tension felt in its combination of instruments seems less message-driven, more about the experience. “Zero Days” finishes the LP with a clear almost direct incantation—an oddity in terms of strategy (yet not out of place in the greater context). Shouts of “We cannibalize ourselves!” and “Nature breeds in a vacuum!” seem like surmising statements in what has become, by the end, a visceral expression of the world as it tumbles towards apocalypse. It can be taken as topical—the depressing state of politics; the system as bubonic plague. Yet that would limit the message to politicians and people in power, whereas this seems generally more bleak to me, as if to say: the heart of darkness is an endless well. And if such thoughts make you shudder then be forewarned. Drowning World is not for the faint of heart. But if straight-up truth is your poison then here’s the antidote. – Brian Chidester

Hot off the heels of AfroPunk Festival, capitalizing on the sweltering final days of summer, the 6th annual 10-day long Brooklyn Wildlife Summer Festival brings together over 150 performers at 15 events.  If you’ve experienced it before, expect the same eclectic circus of music and mayhem featuring all musical genres (and non-genres!) as well as anything from cabaret to fashion.  It’s as raw as you’re going to find, representing one of the most vibrant and cutting-edge scenes on the planet.  It’s not sponsored by any corporations, and the 10-day pass costs about what you’d pay for a lunch for two in Manhattan.  Here’s a Soundcloud playlist of some of the local artists playing the fest. Don’t sleep. Discount tickets are available here.

Brooklyn’s via Omaha quartet Navy Gang is one of the best acts from the crop of NYC bands infatuated with the alt-pop sound of the ’90s, when bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement were developing a musical vocabulary that shared Nirvana’s power trio sound, but replaced the tortured angst with a more thoughtful and fatalistic attitude – which earned them the "slacker rock" label. The 14 songs in their newly released debut album "Poach" are a reinterpretation of that sound that’s definitely worthy more than one listen, in particular when the band follows more personal sonic and songwriting paths, linke in single "Awkward Exchange" (streaming), featuring a wall of sound of pitch shifted distorted guitar and 8-bit synths. Navy Gang will be celebrating the release of Poach tonight (08.22) at Baby’s All Right.

Revival rock’n’roll bands aren’t a rarity in NYC (or anywhere else in the US, for that matter), but it ain’t easy to find one that’s able to reinvent the genre without sounding irredeemably stuck in the past, while also tearing it on stage. Jeremy & The Harlequins pull off both feats with flair, alternating "purer" rocking tracks with others that introduce pop elements and more modern chord progressions, like "Remeber This," the titletrack and opening track of their new album. The band announced a two legged summer/fall tour – with the later dates as a support for Electric Six. You can catch them live at Brooklyn’s Littlefield on October 2nd.

Laser focused on booking the best emerging NYC artists from genres ranging from pop to soul to hip hop, The National Sawdust’s monthly Revolution series returns this coming Saturday (August 25th) with its 30th installment involving three talented soulful artists.

Latinx American singer, songwriter, and producer RAE ISLA writes stylish and passionate songs about love and our connection to the divine; African-American female neo-soul singer and songwriter from Long Island, Hadassah delivers experiential stories while fusing jazz, soul, and electronica on a minimalist backdrop; NYC-based psych-soul quintet Madam West seek to find, through their songs, the sunlight that remains—even in a cold-shouldered city, during what often seems like the darkest of times.

Listen to a playlist of their songs below, and don’t miss them live on Saturday at Revolution #30!

Brooklyn Native Sun‘s fast paced and heavy handed mix of garage and psych rock has earned a space in the soundtrack to our summer 2018 trips. Their recent EP "Songs Born from Love and Hate" features many flavors of fuzzed-out guitars, so we thought it might be interesting to ask the band a few questions about their pedals and  gear – check out the link below, and see them live at NYC’s El Cortez on August 16.

Native Sun interview about Pedals and Gear

NYC Rap group Blahsum has released a new track for each of the past 42 full moons.  Only seventeen of them are videos, and their bandcamp isn’t maintained as well as it should be, but how much can you ask of some greasy underground rap moon worshippers?  “She loves me not” is a brawlick meditation of the bones of a love unrequited.  The video’s trippy visuals pair well with the verbal hallucinations likely barked into a distraught microphone in the basement of an LES squat.  Blahsum is the bad moon arisen – see them at their self hosted Brooklyn event on 255 McKibbin St. on 08.18.

Attention music lovers!

The new issue of The Deli NYC is out on the cloud (we are at #55!) and we are psyched to have Half Waif on its cover – her latest album Lavander is an absolute gem! Print copies will hit the streets of NYC this coming weekend.

Inside, you will also find a very informational article about the state of the record industry, featuring an extensive Q&A with 4 NYC record label insiders.

Finally, this is also the yearly issue linked to our NYC MixCon 2018, the FREE event entirely focused on mixing advice provided by world class producers – a must for any young engineer or home recording musician interested in refining their mixing skills!

The Folks at The Deli

Hey Chicago bands and artists, 

There aren’t many entities out there fostering emerging bands and artists, so we thought you may find this interesting.

WeWork’s Creator Awards is looking for innovative musical performers (solo or groups) based in the Chicago area.  You can apply to one of three categories including the Performing Arts award, for entertainers and groups with a unique perspective.  

The Performing arts winner will take home $72,000 and take the stage at the Creator Awards Nashville in September.  

Apply HERE before July 20 for a chance to win funding.   

WeWork’s Creator Awards is a celebration of the performers, makers, do-gooders, and mavericks making a difference.  

The Folks at The Deli

Hey New England bands and artists, 

There aren’t many entities out there fostering emerging bands and artists, so we thought you may find this interesting.

WeWork’s Creator Awards is looking for innovative musical performers (solo or groups) based in New England.  You can apply to one of three categories including the Performing Arts award, for entertainers and groups with a unique perspective.  

The Performing arts winner will take home $72,000 and take the stage at the Creator Awards Nashville in September.  

Apply HERE before July 20 for a chance to win funding.   

WeWork’s Creator Awards is a celebration of the performers, makers, do-gooders, and mavericks making a difference.  

The Folks at The Deli

Hey Nashville bands and artists, 

There aren’t many entities out there fostering emerging bands and artists, so we thought you may find this interesting.

WeWork’s Creator Awards is looking for innovative musical performers (solo or groups) based in the Nashville area.  You can apply to one of three categories including the Performing Arts award, for entertainers and groups with a unique perspective.  

The Performing arts winner will take home $72,000 and take the stage at the Creator Awards Nashville in September.  

Apply HERE before July 20 for a chance to win funding.   

WeWork’s Creator Awards is a celebration of the performers, makers, do-gooders, and mavericks making a difference.  

The Folks at The Deli

 Hey Philly bands and artists, 

There aren’t many entities out there fostering emerging bands and artists, so we thought you may find this interesting.

WeWork’s Creator Awards is looking for innovative musical performers (solo or groups) based in the Philly Area.  You can apply to one of three categories including the Performing Arts award, for entertainers and groups with a unique perspective.  

The Performing arts winner will take home $72,000 and take the stage at the Creator Awards Nashville in September.  

Apply HERE before July 20 for a chance to win funding.   

WeWork’s Creator Awards is a celebration of the performers, makers, do-gooders, and mavericks making a difference.  

The Folks at The Deli