On Sunday, August 6th, Yusuf Siddiquee will be performing at Pianos alongside Franklin Echoes, The Switch, and Moxa. Siddiquee is a Brooklyn-based DIY artist who combines dance, synth, and alternative aspects into his music, particularly in his most recent project, Softee, an EP released back in January. The synth-pop EP possesses plentiful synth layers, pop vocals and dance-driven beats. The opening song, “Honest”, particularly hits the nail on the head, with friendly vocals over electro-pop instrumentation that sound like something that would fit perfectly in a FIFA soundtrack. The EP abounds with other influences, however. The closing song “Maja” starts out sounding like a pop beat, but shifts entirely towards a dance-rock vibe of something like LCD Soundsystem. By combining electronic piano & his familiar dance-driven beat with a distorted guitar and soothing vocals, it becomes clear that the song, along with the project as a whole, is a very cool, modern-day combination of new wave, pop, and alternative. You can check out Yusuf Siddiquee’s performance at Pianos at 10 PM. – Pearse Devlin

There are several unwritten rules in the music scene regarding the steps that musical artists should take to “make it”: practicing, recording, performing… What goes often overlooked, though, is the power of collaboration. In this regard, NYC based musicians Pascal Le Boeuf, Sarah Goldfeather, and Robby Bowen have teamed up and taken a peculiar path in their musical endeavors: instead of forming a group identity on stage, they’ve decided to keep their separate identities and work with Four/Ten Media on a music video for their new, collaborative track, “Empty Promise”, which offers an intriguing visual representation of human’s dependence and habitual use of technology. Their work won them Best Video at Atlanta Shortsfest and premiered on July 24th. The trio plans to work on a series of videos in the future, and if they are going to be all as good as this one, there is little doubt that more and more people will take notice. – Pearse Devlin

Psych-Rock band Ritual Talk released an extremely intriguing debut single (with video, streaming below) entitled, “Help, I’ve Been Dreaming”, and is scheduled to perform at Pianos on August 4th. The track is an art-rock song that flows through so many sounds, it becomes difficult to even categorize, yet manage to stay within tasteful boundaries, never sacrificing musical coherence for the sake of experimentation. A rather complex ¾ beat starts the song off, traveling into more psych-rock, wavier sounds from both the guitar and harmonizing female and male vocals. The lyrics are serene, succint but poetic. Then, a more indie rock sound evolves through intricate guitar pattering, slowly evolving as background organs enter the soundscape. If you dig this single, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming album and don’t miss them live!– Pearse Devlin

Hoboken-based post-punk band, AIERS, will be hitting the stage at Pianos on July 30th. The band’s only shared track is a Youtube clip of their song, "Forever Comes", an impressive blend of alternative sounds. In the video, the band plays untidy, post-punk guitar riffs against a backdrop of thick, green fog, bringing to mind the enigmatic performances of Joy Division and the syncopated and ominous style of early Interpol. With blunt but driving drums and spacey guitar riffs, “Forever Comes” takes a surprisingly melodic turn, drawing on elements from new wave and modern alt-rock. Be sure to check out the band’s performance and the live song below. -Pearse Devlin

"You can’t say indie rock is dead, it’s just being taken over by women," Sophie Allison (of Soccer Mommy) once said. And with an up-and-coming band like Evelyn, it seems pretty hard to dispute. The Brooklyn indie rock band’s recent project may have proven that they possess the caliber to become one of the prominent, emerging female-led indie rock bands surging through the music scene at the moment. Their EP released back in March, Light Full, has tracks rooted in a mellow, indie rock sound, but soar into many distinct and uplifting directions throughout. The opening track, “Lament”, begins with trilling and whammy-barred guitars that build toward a more emotional, vigorous sound, eventually finishing with an emphatic guitar solo. The other songs don’t fall short either. “Endlessly” works in an indie folk vibe and “Light Full” immediately kicks off with fuzzier garage-rock. The way Evelyn brings forth a plethora of sounds while keeping it all within their style is definitely something to keep an eye on. Check out their performance at Pianos in NYC on July 29th. – Pearse Devlin

Guerilla Toss‘ new full length GT Ultra was partly inspired by the CIA’s “Project MKUltra” which experimented with drugs to weaken and torture those under interrogation, and appropriately enough, the album art is covered with acid blotter papers. The release, the band’s second under DFA, showcases a more mature production that doesn’t get in the way of the group’s signature unpredictability. An acid trip in itself, GT Ultra takes the conventions of dance, punk, electronic, and rock music and rips them apart. “Can I Get the Real Stuff,” their second track, introduces the band’s repeated practice of entering the realm of a recognizable sound/genre, and tearing those walls down with something unexpected. It sounds like if LCD Soundsystem and Sonic Youth combined forces, or if Blondie went haywire. Their fourth track “TV Do Tell” follows this same idea, bringing in instances of ’80s pop, until an uncontrollable frenzy takes over, as if someone was messing with the pitch lever on the entire track, while changing the tempo signature without warning. “Skull Pop” brings forth cryptic lyrics, like a recap of a hallucination, aligned with music hinting that something went wrong along the way. GT Ultra follows no patterns, no norms, yet comes together throughout the turmoil as one of the most exciting releases of 2017. Be sure to see Guerilla Toss live when they play in NYC again (or wherever you live).  – Pearse Devlin

On July 19th, Wilder Maker will be taking the stage at Baby’s All Right to celebrate their 7” release, New Streets, with special guests Wilsen and Star Rover. Unveiled back in April, the single features an elegant and silky smooth combination of alt pop, folk, and jazz. Katie Von Schleicher’s serene vocals recollect a fun day with friends strolling through Brooklyn, going to parties – and even taking shrooms. The track combines clean and sophisticated chord progressions from Gabriel Birnbaum (also involved in the songwriting) with a sensual incorporation of a tenor sax solo that builds towards an exuberant finale. Check out a live in studio version of the song, below (courtesy thrdcoast.com) and also the other noteworthy single ‘Only Child,’ streaming underneath. – Pearse Devlin

Cold Beat will be reaching the end of their Cali-based tour this month after a San Fransisco show on August 15. The band will perform their latest work, Chaos By Invitation, an album released this past April that sounds like a combination of modern day electropop and post-punk. The album creats this sonic concoction in an interesting way, with basslines and electronic pianos constructed in a post-punk style, but delivered in a modern electronic and pop manner. This mix of celestial and punching electronic pianos gives the 80s-influenced project quite the contemporary feel. Check out the track "62 Moons", a track that does just this (and is also at times reminiscent of dreampop band Beach House), below. – Pearse Devlin

Friday July 7th, Chicago’s Secret Colours will be releasing their fourth album, titled Dream Dream. Drawing from British sounds (a clue indicated in their name) the band combines a diverse amount of indie, garage, pop, and psychedelia that makes their material energetic, progressive, yet nostalgic. Single “Save Me,” in particular, does just that; their tenth track on the album launches towards an atmosphere that feels much like classic rock, but then crosses over towards a spacier, indie pop sound with an intriguing shift between past and modern styles. Be sure to check out the upcoming LP, as well as a release show the following week in their hometown of Chicago, at Martyrs’, on July 15th. – Pearse Devlin

One of Brooklyn’s fiercest emerging bands will be releasing their debut EP next week. Grim Streaker, a five-piece punky outfit out of Brooklyn, will release Girl Minority, a four track collection, on July 7th. Their release show is scheduled for the day before at Wicked Lady, and, judging from the video below for single "Guts," we’ll surely be in for a ferocious performance; the band has already picked up a reputation for their raucous, fanatical performances, that resurrect the intensity of 70s/80s punk rock. Singles “Psycho” and “Miami Girl” are ruthless punk anthems, carried by rapid drumbeats and bass lines, fuzzy guitar riffs, and abrasive, powerful vocal bursts from their charismatic lead singer, Amelia Bushell. – Pearse Devlin

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

Dating shows, hot dogs, and hook-ups while covered in neon slime: that’s what you’ll see in Hot Flash Heat Wave‘s hilarious new music video. Aside from the absurdities, HFHW seems to be offering a more delicate, yet mature sound on "San Fransisco Dating Life", the middle track off of their newest album, Soaked, released June 2nd. Distancing themselves from some of the garage/surf-punk elements off of their previous work, this song has a crisper, more soothing sound–it’s an unmistakable transition from their "Wavves-esque" material towards an indie pop presence. "San Fransisco Dating Life" is reminiscent of San Cisco (and one might even notice the similarities to Portugal. the Man on Soaked’s second track, "Raindrop") proving the quartet possesses a wide range of sounds and influences, refusing to stay in one lane. Hot Flash Heat Wave will be wrapping up their tour on June 30th, but be sure to check out their newest record and to keep an eye out for future shows.-Pearse Devlin  

The end of July will be an exciting time for Moonrise Nation, with the release of their debut LP, Glamour Child, coinciding with their show at Schubas Tavern in the band’s hometown of Chicago. The trio possesses an impressive blend of indie, folk, and pop, and delivers their sound in a highly harmonic fashion. “Demo Day”, their latest single, begins with mellow indie guitar plucking, lifting itself up through vocal harmonics into a faster paced sound reminiscent of the alt-rock outfit Sleeper Agent. With introspective and personal lyrics, accompanied by well-placed piano and percussion, and even creative album artwork, the band has left a lot to anticipate. Check out their release show on July 28^th , and be sure to check out their newest material and upcoming shows. – Pearse Devlin