Julian Shah-Tayler is no stranger to writing and producing pop music. His career has lent itself to collaborations with Joaquin Phoenix, Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama), Kerli, and Whitey to name just a few. You may have even seen him DJing sets at the Standard Hotel here in town. With a schedule like his, it’s a wonder that he even has time for a solo career. Well he does and his first proper release, Coito Ergo Sum, is due later this year.

Shah-Tayler’s solo material falls somewhere in-between rock and new wave with synth and drum machine feeling just as cozy on the recording as his guitar work. The Deli was passed along a copy of the upcoming album to take a listen to, and there is definately some stand out work. The track "Wetter" is reminiscent of the tongue-in-cheek sexual lyrics made famous by Prince and recently resurrected by bands like She Wants Revenge. "Beautiful World" and "Roman Tower" are two delicate tracks that throws in a hint of piano ballad into the album. Things pick up with the driving rhythm and slightly more industrial feel of "Say What You Want", but Shah-Tayler doesn’t stray too far from his 80’s influences by sticking in some brass samples in as well.

If you’re trying to lure your friends to the dark side that is indie music, or maybe you’re trying to fill a spot in your collection next to David Bowie’s work from the 80s, then Julian Shah-Tayler is accessible, intelligent, and skilled. You’ll have to wait a bit longer for Coito Ergo Sum, but his two previous EPs, Un Ange Passe and Blah Blah Blahnik, are available on BandCamp.com for free download or donation.

-Angelo Lorenzo

It’s that time of year everyone — no not Halloween — but New York’s annual CMJ Music Marathon, held over Oct. 19-23. You’ve seen some posts about it, but what does that have to do with us here in Los Angeles? This 30 year old festival shines a light on some of the hottest signed and unsigned talent around, including some of our home town favorites, ’cause LA has got to represent!

So who is going to be there? Folk duo The Chapin Sisters, the synth driven acts Superhumanoids and Kisses, dance party patrons Casxio, indie songsters Lady Danville, soloist Evan Voytas, and the soulful Stone Darling. If that wasn’t enough, Deli favorites Loomis & The Lust, Young the Giant, and Vanaprasta will be rocking throughout the CMJ Music Marathon.

Speaking of New York, I know we’re all about local music, but there is one band that has the whole Deli network buzzing and I can’t let good music go unnoticed. The clock nears towards New York’s Atlantic/Pacific‘s debut album, Meet Your New Love, out Oct. 26th thanks to a recent deal with our friends here in LA, No Sleep Records. The band’s music is expertly layered, with brushed drums, light bass, keys, and folk guitar work drawing you in before their delicate and sincere vocals can deliver the final blow. Two tracks from Meet Your New Love, "Patterns" and "Some Weary Valentine", can be spotted on the band’s MySpace page. Take a mental trip to the Big Apple for a few moments and enjoy these tunes.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Jail Weddings, one of bands worthy of your votes in this month’s poll, is gearing up for the release of Love is Lawless by playing their release party at the Bootleg Theater Oct. 22nd and following up with Alex’s Bar in Long Beach Oct. 28th.

This 10 piece powerhouse sounds like the sweet lovechild born from a night of passion betwee a Vegas lounge lizard and a 60s girls group do-wopper. Phil Spector’s wall of sound philosophy rings true through their sneak peek track "I Thought You Were Someone I Knew" with up-stroked guitars, xylophone, piano, and fiddle crafting their vintage pop sound. You can grab the track for free from the band’s website.

Along with their Bootleg Theater show, Jail Weddings will be having a listening party at Origami Vinyl the preceeding night, Oct. 21st. The album, Love is Lawless, will be officially available on Oct. 26th.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Sultry vocals, twanging folk guitar, booming bass drum, plucked cello, and the pitter patter of tap shoes. What does it all add up to? The vaudeville folk of He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister. The gang recently played a packed show at the Bootleg Theater for the release of their self titled EP and as the send off for their US tour. Appearances from friends Featherbeard, Amanda Jo Williams, Adanowsky, and Las Cafeteras rounded out the night with stellar performances from all.

If you’ve never been exposed to He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister, I think it’s a fair warning so say their mojo have the power to heal the afflicted. "Tales That I Tell" has vocalist Rachel Kolar paint the laments of a lover done wrong in all of her dusty western glory, while Lauren Brown taps out the beat. Rachel’s brother, guitarist Rob Kolar picks up the vocal duties on "How’m I Gunna Get Back Home" with cellist Satya Bhabha filling in the breaks. "Lazy Daze" fits somewhere nicely in the crack between 60’s folk and 70’s psychedelics while "Moonage Daydream" continues the down tempo theme with a hint of David Bowie’s "Space Oddity". Haunting falsetto and acoustic guitar ring through regret on "The House That Isn’t Mine". "Coattails" picks the pace up again with a little ditty about those people who just can’t seem to achieve anything for themselves. "Wilted Rose" closes up shop with a simple, lo-fi chorus about a worthless girl’s quest for love.

The group will be on tour for a while, but you can grab their EP on Bandcamp.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Scott Ryan has quietly released his first new recording since 2009’s, "Tree Man EP.’ This bedroom folk tune is the perfect soundtrack for a loner’s trek by motorcycle, truckbed, or boat in search of something altogether elusive. Directed by AG Rojas, perhaps best known for his low-budget shocker video for LA hip hop artist, Earl. You can catch Scott Ryan and his band (the Thunderbeast) at Molly Malones in LA on Oct. 29th.

-From The Open Blog

A Deli favorite, Rumspringa, is back in action, recently releasing their LP, Sway, on Cantora Records as a four piece. After spending two years as a duo, friends Joey Stevens and Itaru De La Vega parted ways in early 2009. In a search to make Rumspringa better, faster, and stronger Stevens pulled in drummer Andrew Parker, Cecilia Della Peruti on guitar, and Ricardo Robles on Bass.

The sexy bastard child of 70s psychedelica and 60s British rock, Rumspringa has a bright future to look forward to as a four piece. In honor of their new LP, the band has made the song "Queer Eyed Boy" available for your listening pleasure.

Watch out for an album review once we get our hands on Sway.

Download "Queer Eyed Boy"
Sway on iTunes

-Angelo Lorenzo

Known as the keyboardist of French shoegazers M83 and frontwoman of The Romanovs, Morgan Kibby is stepping out on her own as White Sea. It’s no surprise that her years spent with M83 rubbed off on her — her ability to create haunting, etheral, pop music is apparent in her remix of Seven Saturday’s "The Shallow End" but also her forthcoming EP This Frontier.

After getting my hands on the track "Mountaineer", Kibbys vocals bear a striking resemblance to that of Imogen Heap, with layered synth and echoing tom drums working their way to cinematic crescendo. Not one to be boxed in, Kibby promises that the EP will show off her stylistic range but with a common thread tying it all together. The album was completed with the help of friends Jonathan Leahy on guitar and bass, Jonathan Bates (Big Black Delta, Mellowdrone) with mixes of "Ladykiller" and "Mountaineer", and Ray Suen (Louis XIV, Mariachi El Bronx) with string arrangements for "Ladykiller" and "Oljato". This Frontier is due for release October 5th, but RCRDLBL has made available a free download of her track "Mountaineer".

-Angelo Lorenzo

In a fine close to their September residency at the Echo, Vanaprasta played their anticipated full length album, Healthy Geometry, in it’s entirety. The band has decided to release a 7" vinyl featuring "Minnesota" and "Skinny State" while the LP receives its finishing touches.

The band was praised early on with their breakout EP, Forming the Shapes, and based on these two new tracks Vanaprasta is not slowing down. "Minnesota" opens with a bit of synth before being joined by Steven Wilkin’s vocals and Ben Smiley’s drums, the verse brings in the rest of the band — Collin Desha and Cameron Dmytryk on guitar and keys, and Taylor Brown on bass. The choruses power through with gritty, belted vocals and distorted guitars before resolving into a sexy, dirty guitar solo break near the end of the song. The other debuted track, "Skinny State", opens with rhythmic bass and drums that powers through the verse and chorus, setting a more frantic pace. A quick, straightforward track, Wilkin’s vocals crescendo to the final screamed chorus before quietly leading out. If you’ve never heard them, think of a more talented version of Kings of Leon.

Healthy Geometry was produced by Manny Nieto (HEALTH, The Breeders) who brought the band under his wing to help them craft a more powerful, trashy, and raw sound. "Minnesota" and "Skinny State" were two of the three tracks to be fully at Nieto’s studio. LA local Dave Cooley (Silversun Pickups, Local Natives) mastered the recording, icing on the cake for this LP. — We’re looking forward to it!

Listen to "Minnesota"
Listen to "Skinny State"

-Angelo Lorenzo

Readers, listen up!

Do you want access to the coolest shows and score great albums from local LA artists before they’re released? The Deli Los Angeles is looking for volunteer staff writers, not only for the website but to help us out on our next print issue as well.

The ideal candidate will have a passion and understanding for our scene here in LA, great writing chops, and the ability to commit to at least three months of staff duty here with us at the Deli. Journalism majors looking for resume experience are more than welcome to apply. Not a writer? Then spread the word!

If you’re interested, please send a brief bio as well as a few writing examples over to angelo@thedelimagazine.com with the subject line "Staff Position". Can’t wait to hear from you all!

-Angelo Lorenzo

As a precursor to the next full-length release by Halloween Swim Team, the band is tantalizing fans with a 3-part EP series called ANTENNAAA.ep. Parts one and two were released earlier this summer with the last installment released yesterday, September 25th, at the band’s Echo Curio show.

The trio highlights tracks from the upcoming album ANTENNAAA on each EP, as well as bonus remixes, live recordings, and other studio experiments. With all members on synthesizers, Halloween Swim Team creates a wide spectrum of buoyant, intergalactic moods. The ANTENNAAA.ii EP contains a spoken word track called "They Got Computers.i" and label mate Michael Nhat raps over beats that sounds like they are going through a time warp on "Make Them Die Slowly."

The members of Halloween Swim Team are known for their DIY ethics as well as starting Los Angeles’ Vermont House, host to rising bands such as Crystal Antlers, Abe Vigoda, and Japanther. Halloween Swim Team are scheduled to perform at the Manimal Festival on October 2nd along with The Like, Swahili Blonde, Afghan Raiders, and Love Grenades. Never a dull moment, the band contributed a cover of "Look Back In Anger" on the new David Bowie tribute album released by Manimal Vinyl.

Get a free download of the moody "Science Fiction"

-Karla Hernandez

I’m continually surprised by how much talent and musical variety is bred by LA’s co-ed duos like Passion Pit and the previously mentioned Loch & Key. It’s a good thing Cooper Gillespie and Greg Gordon of Mad Planet are more than keeping up with the competition thanks to their debut LP All Elephants.

Conceived in early 2009, All Elephants dives deeply into the genres of trip-hop, alternative rock, and jazz — a surprising departure from Gillespie’s and Gordon’s time spent in bands like Bang Sugar Bang and Nervous Return. The album was recorded through the course of a year in the duo’s Silverlake apartment with album art supplied by comic artist Nathan Hamill, son of Star Wars actor Mark Hamill.

I was a bit interested to listen after hearing them name Portishead and Massive Attack as strong influences for their album. "I Live Alone" and "Love Addict" are shining examples Gillespie’s smooth alto, trip-hop influenced, vocals; her lyrics taking on themes of loss and healing. It’s not until "Danger Danger" do things really pick up with a slightly industrial feel and Gordon’s strong up tempo break beats. Introspection is a strong theme throughout the 12 song collection, coming to a head with the closing track "Watch", it’s noisy oscillations fading into silence.

If you’re looking to see Mad Planet live, their next show is Wednesday, September 29th at the Viper Room.

-Angelo Lorenzo

From Maryland to Nashville and now more recently Los Angeles, singer/songwriter Benny Marchant has dwelled and built his repertoire all across the U.S., leading up to the release of his debut solo EP next Tuesday, September 28. The Conversations Missed EP will be released through his own imprint, Marina Records.

As the lead singer of LA alternative band The Kings Royal, Marchant used more of a garage rock influence comparable to the Strokes and Brit-rock sound similar to Oasis, but with his solo music he shows a softer side. The four-tracks on the EP, which was produced by Joe Chiccarelli (Radiohead, White Stripes) tend to be clean-cut with a strong reflective mood. The vocals are comforting like sitting by the fire during a frosty East Coast winter. Nashville’s influence peaks its head with the twang of a pedal steel guitar on "Been Too Long".

The title track, "Conversations Missed" is another heartfelt track, but the melody is a little more breezy than the others. The video directed by Alan Tanner draws on the idea of ‘light’ from the song’s lyrics with a charming result.

Marchant will follow with his full-length album, Cold Weather early next year.

-Karla Hernandez