Many people may be familiar with Charlene Kaye without knowing it – she’s the energetic frontwoman of orchestral NYC band San Fermin.  However, she is also an accomplished songwriter who has been releasing solo records since 2012.  After the successful experience with San Fermin, the soulful singer has been refocusing on her own material and is about to release a new EP entitled “Honey,” under the new, simpler moniker Kaye. A development of the electro pop leanings of Charlene Kaye’s earlier work, Kaye’s full vocal and musical range is on display in the title track “Honey,” an empowering indie pop anthem, complete with a saturated sonic production featuring several edgy and distorted elements, bouncing between pop and rock. The “Honey” EP will be released on August 19th, and you can catch Kaye live at her EP Release show at Mercury Lounge on August 18th.  

Alongside a new lead single, Psychic Twin unveiled a September 9th drop date for their debut LP Strange Diary, that’s been four years in the making. If the track, entitled "Lose Myself" is any indication, it might have been worth the wait. Erin Fein, vocalist and main force behind the project, immerses her feathery voice in grimy synths and drum machine grooves to create a contrasting synth-pop sound that feels fresh while still delivering a nice dose of nostalgia. Psychic Twin recently kicked off a North American tour with Ladyhawke, whose NYC leg will be at Rough Trade on 6.24. –Henry Solotaroff-Webber – Photo Credit: Sean Waltrous

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

Since 2011 the seven piece Brooklyn/Manhattan based band The Amputees has been blending together punk and hard rock revival in rather uncompropmising ways. In February they released The Hitchhikers Guide to The Amputees, a four track EP that rarely lets up. “Al Hammer” (streaming below) kicks things off with a fierce punk energy and roaring guitars, while Louis Ramos’ anthemic vocals excercise the demonic art of sounding evil. Third track “Ego” features stomping beat and fiery vocals with a more melodic approach, in particular during the chorus. The band will be playing The Gateway on July 2nd in support of Earworms. – John Honan

As evidenced by their collaboration with The Songwriter’s Orchestra to re-arrange their single "Jagged Edge," nu-soul duo Jazze Belle have already made some noise (and interesting connections!) in the NYC scene. Their sound can be described as mellow, darkly introspective soul. Producer Jett Carter employs simple percussions alongside minimal synth parts to create a wide, moon-lit soundscape for vocalist Taylor Simone to wander through. Her soulful, confident voice touches on themes pertaining to love, but mostly from the side of how self-doubt or other complexities of life can get in the way. Special mention is also due to Carter clevelry repurposing and altering Simone’s voice to build vocal harmonies, creating transfixing moments that emphasize certain lyrics. With two singles and a slew of covers comprising their live shows to date, it will be interesting to see how these two evolve in future projects. You can see them live at the Harmlem Arts Festival on 6/25. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

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At the risk of assessing a small sample size consisting of one single, it’s clear that synth/indie pop duo Kid Coyote have a lot of potential. Their lone track, "Full Moon Rising," is reminiscent of Phantogram’s chiller, Big Boi-less offerings. Clara Berry’s smooth and spacey vocals hang over Joe O’Neil hybrid electro-acoustic production, giving their music a feeling both eery and smooth. With just this tune to their name, it will be exciting to see what else Kid Coyote will bring to the table when they perform at the Plough and Stars on 6/22. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Pink Mexico is the solo project of Robert Preston who has played drums for countless acts including Shilpa Ray. In the fall of 2014, Preston moved back to Brooklyn from Los Angeles to begin recording Pink Mexico’s second record, which he wrote primarily while still living in LA. In May, single “Buzz Kill” saw the light of the day. It’s a fuzz-laden track overflowing with self-deprecating humor and Preston’s deadpan vocal delivery. “Forgetting Everything” (streaming below) is a poppier song that looks back at the surf pop sound of the 60’s., with upbeat, vintage sounding vocal arrangements. Pink Mexico will release their sophomore album Fool on June 24th via Burger Records. The band will be celebrating the release at Shea Stadium on June 25th. – John Honan

Just a month ago Milo in the Doldrums, hailing from the sandy beaches of Northern Virginia, released their self-titled debut EP. The EP is tinged with a touch of melancholy but charged with an electrifying sense of life, a heart vibrantly pounding with every drum beat and a rush of blood coursing through the guttural strums of the guitars. May’s vocals, at times razor sharp and smooth and then quivering, glide elegantly over the weighted guitars, which break out in bouts of heavy and melodious riffs, often building up to a climax before stripping back down to merely vocals and then beginning the whole process again. Milo in the Doldrums will be playing DC’s Velvet Lounge on June 29 but you can listen to their EP streaming below.

Genuine Americana bands are few and far between in NYC’s indie scene, and The National Reserve may be among the most authentic of them all. Their 2015 EP Easy Does It should hit all the right spots for anyone yearning for Western (and Southern) sounds. Twangy guitars, blusey overtones and shuffling drums are arranged into compelling songs that merge blues-rock, folk and country.  Lead-singer/guitarist Sean Walsh also has the perfect ammount of scruffiness to his voice that adds the necessary character to the stories he tells. The National Reserve played at The Rough Trade NYC on June 8, ad tonight will perform at City Windery within a tribute to the music of Merle Haggard.. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

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

Plastic Picnic’s light indie pop is the result of two duos – Lute and Panerio, and Hunt and Taylor – coming together with compatible musical talents. The Brooklyn-based quartet’s name doesn’t quite capture the essence of their music, which, although incorporating synths, doesn’t sound as synthetic as the word ‘plastic’ would make one think. On the other hand, single Nausea in Paradise (streaming), would work nicely as a picnic soundtrack – notwithstanding the not very appetizing title.  Fans of sophisticated ’80s pop like Prefab Sprout should check these guys out at Rough Trade on July 15th.  – Madeleine Grossman 

Bent Knee keeps going bigger and bolder with each project they release.  Never being afraid to blend genres before, on Say So the six-piece Boston band embarks on a sprawling musical journey that seems to hit every stop on the pop-avant garde spectrum. Not discrediting the band’s impressively diverse instrumental arrangements, frontwoman and keyboardist Courtney Swain’s cinematic vocals stand out as the sound’s core. Whereas the instruments and sounds around her are constantly changing, Swain’s voice provides an anchor that never lets the band’s complex sound descend into unruly juxtaposition of elements. Bent Knee are about to go on a North American and European tour to promote ‘Say So’. – Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Out of Boston, Narrow Waves is a new indie-pop band whose alternating male/female vocals form a striking contrast. The two vocalists take turns singing about themes pertaining to love and relationships, while shimmering synth patterns and understated guitar riffs back them up to round out the band’s sound, which could be compared to R.E.M. from the ‘Out of Time’ period. The band played their second ever show on May 28 at Cantab Lounge. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

New Jersey quartet Dentist is about to release their wildly fun sophomore LP Ceilings just in time for summer. The album will be out on June 24th via Little Dickman Records, and features 10 uptempo tunes featuring catchy melodies contrasting with singer Emily Bornemann’s often dark lyrics. Ceilings is a consistent and cohesive piece of work, with songs that blend into one another. “Joel” (streaming below), one of the record’s darker tracks, starts as a slow psych ballad before exploding into the bright and upbeat sound the band established in the opening tracks, marrying elements of surf rock, pop punk, and dream pop. The band will be playing The Saint in Asbury Park on June 24th and Berlin in NYC on June 25th. – John Honan