The lyricially insightful, thinking-persons rock of Brooklyn’s Modern Diet returns with their latest single “Post Grad” premiering here on the Deli in time for Valentine’s Day. However, the sentiment expressed here focuses on an existential crisis of being, rather than traditional romantic notions. Chiming open note guitar chords, soulful keyboards, bright tambourine percussion and a progression defining bassline immediately establish wistful sentimentality for the lyrics that follow. “Sticking to the script I used to know. Making plans and standing up to go. All my old tricks slip into places as we carry on. It’s a three piece suit made of stone and it weighs a ton. Take it off for me won’t you?” These vocals are delivered with clarity touched by just the right amount of contemporary studio enhancements. Open spaces are provided in the mix for click-clack percussion and celestial rising ambiance. While the title implies what is learned after basic formal schooling, the emphasis focuses on it’s struggle. “Meanwhile I keep getting older. Go uphill, pushing my boulder – to fall down, back to the bottom and up once more,” is how the defining chorus goes. The track is available now and can be had (along with their other work) via the band’s linktree here. – Dave Cromwell

Dreamy, introspective songwriter Annie Hart releases her sophomore solo album “A Softer Offering” this month, two years after her “Impossible Accomplice” debut. Already known as an innovative film composer and founding member of Lynchian synth-faves Au Revoir Simone, Hart continues to expand her body of work with this latest release. Opting for a more spacious, minimal sound, first single and video (streaming below) “Wilderness Hill” centers around a steady low note pulse and stark electric piano chords. With self -directed video footage shot in the songtitle referencing area of Margate, England combined with hometown Rockaway Beach imagery, Annie’s hushed vocals match this early morning contemplative mood. Follow-up single “Don’t Breathe For Me” employs singular held keyboard pads, angular electronic percussion and deep-twang melodies behind a raw vocal recitation on the need to move on. The whole album is a cohesive work that emphasizes the spaces inbetween our hectic lives, where our own thoughts are encouraged to mingle with the artists creations. The album is out in full on 12/13 with a release show that night at Union Pool. – Dave Cromwell

Creating their own quirky blend of noisy dual-guitar dreampop, Russian Baths share their latest single “Wrong” (streaming below) in advance of their debut full-length album Deepfake. A crisp, odd-tempo drum pattern and bassline set up momentary jolting guitars, introducing soft-spoken lyrics “what’s that effect you hear? Keep it in control.” Elongated vocals emphasize the song’s title with the refrain “I – was – wrong,” as atmospheric textures rise in the background, at times exploding, at times chiming like town square bells. A sonic ascention begins midway through this nearly 5 minute track, creating a wall of hammered guitar chords against the single word songtitle “wrong.” One more quite plateau is reached, as clean dual guitar interplay engages over a simple, basic drum beat. Deepfake is out on 11/8 and the band play their release show that night with like-minded noise rockers Bambara at St. Vitus. – Dave Cromwell

Brooklyn dreampop band 4Vesta recently released their digital EP “Light & Chemicals,” underscoring the timeless appeal and continuing influence of a style created in the early 1990s on emerging musicians nearly 30 years later. Featured opening track “Evening Star” (streaming below) serves as an homage to the pitch-bended, layered guitars and submerged vocals on Kevin Shields’ MBV masterpiece “Loveless.” In fact, the songs title hearkens back to the guitar-looped ambience of Fripp & Eno’s 1975 album of the same name. The NYC band’s new single moves at a deliberately melancholic pace before exploding into forceful walls of guitars and voices. More discernable male vocals appear on “Full Spectrum” approximating Neil Halstead’s low-key approach with Slowdive. “Autophase” doubles-down on the warped and warbly atmosphere, striking a middle ground between Colm O’Ciosig’s Loveless contribution “Touched” and some of Ringo Deathstarr’s recent output. Final track “Sea Plastic” serves up a five minute meditation on churning guitar textures, ethereal vocals and distant percussion. The EP is available for streaming on Spotify. – Dave Cromwell

Expanding on a noir electro-pop sound already steeped in eastern influences, VANDANA‘s latest release Contra re-imagines Indian and Pakistani music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90s. Lead track “Ahsa” intrigues with a heartbeat synth-bass pulse and foreboding keyboard textures. The artist’s deep and resonant vocals soon become the focus, singing in a native language that adds an extra element of mystery. Careful percussive and electronic keyboard elements make their way into the mix completing an overall mystical experience. Follow-up track “Ahsila” makes use of slow-building atmospherics, deep bass synths and light bubbling textures in between seductively enigmatic vocals. Five tracks in all, the record can be heard and acquired at the artists bandcamp. VANDANA will be playing a daytime event Benefit for Kashmir at Baby’s All Right on 9/22. – Dave Cromwell

After releasing their full-length album “I’m Not Getting Any Taller” at the beginning of this year, Brooklyn’s Daisy the Great spent time taking that material out on the road. Having just completed a tour through the midwest and southern states, the artist made a new single “I’m Fine” available. The song (streaming below) serves up a slice of whimsy via Kelley Nicole Dugan and Mina Walker’s ethereal dual-harmony, in perfect folk-pop style. With a bubbly bass guitar establishing a catchy progression, bouncy percussions and electric-piano provide the sparse instrumentation for a lively word-play about the need to occasionally just let it be. Playfully rhyming the words “hello,” “yellow,” jello,” and caramello” exemplifies the impish, good-natured approach to an overall feeling of ennui: “I’m fine I’m fine – Just let me lie sometimes.” Lyrics about boredom notwithstanding, the vocal delivery and overall mood is light and airy, placing emphasis on the obvious chemistry these two singers share. The track is now available via all the streaming services. – Dave Cromwell

Explosive drop-D grunge-metal guitars and thundering drums introduce the new Citris single “Hell Is a Place on Earth” (streaming below). Written and performed by Angelina Torreano (guitar/vocals) and recorded/mixed and mastered by Chris Krasnow (who also contributes drums/bass and guitar) the track is a heavy rumination on personal failings against larger global issues. “Too selfish to die, too right to be happy, too weak to be leaned on. Leave it to me to destroy everything that is good,” the singer laments.  The title line, repeated in the chorus, benefits from harmonized vocal layering, adding a big-studio sheen to that hook, followed by the lyrics “give me your love, then take it away.” A pivotal statement arrives one minute in, when the instruments drop out for the solo vocals declaration “I don’t look back in anger.” While that progression cycles through again (with alternate lyrical content), a sophisticated, angular, prog-metal break emerges around the 3rd minute and takes the track to its conclusion. This initial release comes ahead of the upcoming full-length album “Delusions of Glamour.” Having just completed a west coast tour, the band has a number of local shows in the works including 9/18 at Rubulad. – Dave Cromwell

Animated band cartoons playing along with explosive two-minute power-pop song is a can’t-miss combination, and that’s just what you get with Kissed By An Animal‘s latest release “The Good Times Are Here Again” (streaming below). Guitarist/vocalist Dima Drjuchin applies the technique of Rotoscoping to live action footage while adding a steady flow of animated flames, hearts, flowers, skulls, birds, bunnies and more to the Peter Max style psychedelic imagery. Self-directed and drawn over in Adobe Animate, the track is a power-noise-pop treat with crunchy guitar, hard-edge drumming and a fluid bassline. The first hook is reached just 30 seconds in, via a descending progression that goes “sometimes hard to be a friend when the good times are here again.” An even bigger hook arrives with the chorus stating “when no one sees you, no one is holding you back,” that get’s turned into “there IS no holding back.” The riff breaks lean towards the heavy and tight Dinosaur Jr variety, adding dramatic accent breaks and a touch of pitch-bended warped guitar tones. Big dreamy background “ahhh’s” lift it higher into near dream-gaze territory.

One thing is for sure, these guys deserve more than 82 friends on their Facebook page! Don’t miss their live show at the Gutter on August 22.- Dave Cromwell

Combining elements of pop, jazz, soul and heavy rock into an appealing progressive mix, Brooklyn’s Kleptokrat is a band intent in expanding the parameters of alternative rock. Their newly released sophomore EP “Momentarily, to Grace” boasts five impeccably recorded, genre-twisting tracks. Soulful horns and sweet, jazzy female lead vocals establish the mood on opening song “The Great Leap Forward.” Over the track’s four minutes, precise, angular structures give way to floating ambient interludes that merge together with beguiling charm. “Jumping Ship” applies those light and airy vocals to a lyrically dense story of relationships coming undone, punctuated by heavy bass, sax and drums. “Kleptocito” further adds touches of latin rhythms to what becomes an over five minute instrumental tour-de-force. Final cuts “The View at Bethlehem” and “Body in the Room” bring back those engaging, honeyed vocals over alternately dreamy-to-frenzied compositions. The band kicks off their summer tour at Rose Gold on 7/9, followed by a stop in Philly on 7/11. Full tour dates can be found here. – Dave Cromwell

Hearkening back to the UK twee pop sound of the mid-80’s, Brooklyn’s Jeanines are set to release their self-titled debut album on June 14th. Partnering with Slumberland Records makes perfect sense as that label has specialized in next generation bands emulating the C86/early Creation sound since it’s inception in 1989. The wistful lyrics, vocals and guitar of Alicia Jeanine and My Teenage Stride Jed Smith’s bass and drums perfectly combine to create new songs within this timeless sound. “Either Way” (streaming below) captures the melancholy charm of original era bands like Talulah Gosh, who were as influential as any of the Sarah Records pioneers. It’s jangly, indie-pop that couples doubt with a sense of hope (“you have got to stay.”) Just released new single “Too Late” (streaming here) takes that a step further, with a more frantic velocity echoing its lyrical sentiment of regret. The album is now available for preorder, while the band play next on 6/12 at Trans-Pecos, and 6/22 at Alphaville for their release show. –Dave Cromwell

The vision of singer/songwriter Johanne Swanson (who performs as Yohuna) takes the introspection often found in personal songs and reflects it on both elements of nature and the personal relationships inspiring it. Her latest album “Mirroring” is set for release on June 7, with two songs now available for preview. Moving away from a previous reliance on synthesizers, Yohuna relies here more on guitars as the predominant instrumental force. The title track floats along pitch-bended chords rivaling the best of any dreamgaze practitioner. Ethereal, almost aloof vocals deliver poetic three word lines on the verses before a call and response chorus reveals the song’s cascading vocals hook. Easy laid back drumming gives way to a 16th-note high-hat pattern, adding rhythmic motion at points within the overall dreamy feel. “Rain & Prairie Snow” opts for a cleaner guitar sound while adding simple, reverant keyboards allowing for more emphasis on a choral vocal sound (enhanced by long-time collaborator Emily Yacina). Yohuna’s May tour arrives at Elsewhere in Brooklyn on 5/23. – Dave Cromwell

Dreampop continues to evolve in a variety of unexpected ways, with Brooklyn’s Teen Body adding an emo element to it on their latest album “Dreamo” via NYC label Broken Circles. As the album title combines those two descriptive genres into one single word, so does the music represented on the eight songs it contains. “Fell Off” immediately strikes a wistful mood through melancholic chords and Shannon Lee’s syrupy vocals. “Act Yr Age” opts for a more angular progression to support its over six minutes in length and lyrically dense story on the complications of romantic relationships. “Ballad of Tomboy Jerry” continues the record’s pattern of initially restrained instrumentation that ultimately builds to a crescendo, combined with Ms Lee’s poignant voice. Bassist Xela French provides the storytelling on “The Draag,” while both singers shine in tandem on the uptempo single “Validation.” The titletrack pulls all of these elements together via exultant guitar hooks, deep resonant bass, slow-groove drumming and those emotive tandem vocals. You can access “Dreamo” through the various listening services here. – Dave Cromwell