"Sarah Brown" sounds like that wild Saturday night at a grunge-y, smoke-filled bar listening to hard rock. Or… hard folk? This new tune by 5j Barrow sure rocks and rolls in every sense of the term, except there’s also a banjo solo. That’s what makes it all the more: there’s the expected lonesome beginning, with hollow harmonies and a steadily beating kick drum, which melts into smashing guitars and half-growled/half-shouted vocals by the end of the song. 5j Barrow are clearly heavily influenced by the folkier textures in the genre, but "Sarah Brown" is a wild ride, no doubt. Their forthcoming EP, The Journey: Vol. 1, is out this fall. After a bunch of local dates (Union Hall tonight, Rockwood on the 13th), the band, founded and fronted by singer-songwriters and Broadway actors, Eryn Murman and Jason Hite, will go out on a New England/upstate NY in August. –Geena Kloeppel

Danish multi-instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire Sara Savery aka Drop the Gun has shared the music video for a single from her debut, self-titled EP. "All I Want" is boldly colored, eye-catching, and startling. Featuring cutaways of a superimposed face on Savery’s hands, lyrics flashing in front of clips and kaleidoscopic visual effects, the music video highlights the pop-electronic production of the song. The video taps into the depth behind the lyrics in a harsher, more pronounced light, getting to the root of the confusion the Savery aimed to portray in the song. "All I Want" displays inner turmoil on the screen, quite literally. Don’t miss her live performance at Baby’s All Right on September 21st. – Geena Kloeppel

Brooklyn indie singer-songwriter El Mar may sound light-hearted and easy to listen to, but there’s a depth to her lyrics and tone that sparkles through. Her single "Drifting" is a gorgeous example of that delightful pairing of breeziness and feeling. A carefully balanced full-band arrangement with just the right hint of country/Americana textures shows that El Mar is finding her own voice in a world of songwriters that sometimes mulls together. "Drifting" certainly doesn’t sound like El Mar is drifting, actually, it feels like she’s headed in the right direction. -Geena Kloeppel

It’s easy to love the psychedelia in Crumb’s music because their latest song features some strange strumming guitar work and some very loopy chord structures. So far, the band have only released an EP of three songs last year, now following up with a new track last month, but they’ve already garnered quite a following. Their latest song, "Plants," is loopy, light-hearted, chromatically-inclined and sounds a little like what I imagine an acid trip might feel like. "Plants" is off of their latest EP, Locket, out June 23rd. – Geena Kloeppel

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best mellow songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

There’s something for everyone in the folk/country/rock scene on Hayride Casualties‘ new album Fossil Fuel Kid. It’s a superbly arranged, guitar-driven, bluegrass-influenced record delivered with compelling vocal performances by frontman Daniel DeWald. Those looking for rock will enjoy "The Catskills Ain’t For Sale," the album’s single, while folkies will ease into title track "Fossil Fuel Kid," and country fans will enjoy "Antarctica." But the best part, if you can’t already tell from the song titles, is the underlying theme of this otherwise nuanced protest album: climate change. DeWald himself has volunteered in grassroots environmental campaigns, and Fossil Fuel Kid explores his (and our) complicity in the matter. Listen for the lyrics, the Americana guitar figures, the tasteful harmonies, the message… there’s so much to pick apart in this album that you might just find yourself with a song or two on repeat. The album is out June 9th and Hayride Casualties plays a release show at The Paper Box in Brooklyn on June 11th. -Geena Kloeppel 

Brooklyn’s very own Swoon Lake have bred a new strand of indie music: "ghost folk." The band’s own description of their music is peculiar yet accurate; there is an aura of mystery about their tracks, the ambient synths and choral harmonies on their newest song "Bloom" seemingly glide right through you. Grounding elements are the lead vocals and certain electric guitar rhythms; there’s seldomly a full drum kit to speak of, but sometimes, like a friendly giant, the bump of the kick drum surfaces from below. Swoon Lake’s new self-titled EP is out on Friday, catch their release show on 5.25 at The Glove in Brooklyn. – Geena Kloeppel

Don’t let the somewhat obscure song titles confuse you – deem spencer’s latest EP, "Sunflower," is Mellow with a capital M. From the laid-back atmospheric textures floating behind a hotel-piano-style arrangement in "fucked up flowers" to the flooring, self-aware rap in "soap," spencer’s tracks are vibe-y and musically interesting. He plays with subtlety in production and hones in on his low-key aesthetic, yet maintaining lyrical consciousness and flow. to hear deem spencer’s delightful, airy music live, head to the Knitting Factory on June 9th. – Geena Kloeppel

Not only Soccer Mommy‘s name is striking – her music is really something else. Her new single "Out Worn" demonstrates that sweet combination of maturity and innocence, with a lot of lyrical depth but still not taking herself too seriously. Sophie Allison is comfortably grounded in her songs; the lo-fi vocal processing is soothing and the whole thing feels like a real musical treat. She’s releasing a mini-album called "Collection," out August 4th on Fat Possum after a string of self-releases. Soccer Mommy is on tour with Slow Dancer this summer; catch her live at Baby’s (June 6th) and Mercury Lounge (June 7th). – Geena Kloeppel