Carly Harpur Hollander is an earnest romantic on "Little Less Shy." With a brazenly glossy production, Hollander captures a genuine exuberance that evokes the sweet innocence of artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and HAIM. There’s not a trace of irony to be found, as Hollander is always in full command of the song’s slinky, widescreen hooks with heart-swelling joy.

"Little Less Shy" is the first single off of Hollander’s debut EP, Turn Down Your Mind, Open Your Eyes, which is due out later this year.  Listen to the track here.

The Deli is delighted to premiere the second release by electronic trio KRON, entitled Raptoid. KRON began their life as the house band for Ghosting.TV, a monthly event held in a Chinatown warehouse that highlights a select number of experimental audio visual projects by different artists of the local art scene. Raptoid brings forth a vibrant concoction of throbbing synth patterns with clever wizardry. Equally informed by horror movie soundtracks and acid techno, among others, the EP’s eight unrelenting tracks propel forward with shapeshifting grooves that are both danceable and cerebral.

Raptoid comes out on August 11 via Ring the Alarm. The trio will also host a free release party tomorrow located at 2026 E 1st St.

Coyote Run build things quick on "Again Again," a country-folk jaunt with a cosmic, honky-tonk feel that immediately draws you in. The main project of Oceanside-based singer Katie Shahbaz skips a formal introduction and forges a locked groove, ramping up a vocal harmony that brushes against her honeyed voice. Shahbaz also lets it shred in the final portion with a bluesy solo that is set off at just the right time, as it fades out just the way it started. With a winding rhythm that could go on and on (or again and again?), Shahbaz’s sense of longing portrays a fitting compliment to that dry summer drive; it’s a two-minute romp that ends much too soon.

"Again Again" is the first single off of Shahbaz’s debut full-length, Infinite Disappearance of Fear, which is set for release in October. – Juan Rodríguez

zenxienz, the nom de plume of Cameron Williamson, unfolds a rich tapestry of sounds on his latest single, "Missing California." The tireless IDM producer/songwriter doesn’t limit himself to a singular style, given that his brief, though, expansive collection explores the limitless boundaries of nu jazz with soothing, psychedelic grooves. The vibrant physicality of the track adopts a bolting breakbeat that weaves seamlessly with its shape-shifting textures, a mishmash of restless experimentation that never ceases to test your senses.

"Missing California" is the first reveal off of zenxienz’s upcoming full-length, Brainforest. It is out tomorrow, August 4, on all streaming platforms. – Juan Rodríguez

Rainsford. A name you might not know, but should probably write down, recently released her newest single, "Rendezvous." The nom de plume of singer-songwriter Rainey Qualley, the synth pop-informed track is an aesthetically pleasing joyride of love, chaos and everything in-between. "It’s always a roller coaster ride," she cleverly depicts the nature of the song; the desire for someone else. Perhaps, to the one you can’t have. "Rendezvous" is a poptastic twist, and an ode to the music from our past, slowly modernizing the way we listen to legendary 80’s music. – Kayla Hay

Photo:Alex Spencer

Like most versatile performers, singer-songwriter Chrystyna Marie has dabbled with different aspects of entertainment with steely determination. But music will always be what fires up her creativity. And through her own means, Marie has assembled a vast array of studio players for her upcoming EP, entitled Life, which takes on the rawer side of blues with a dollop of country charm. Lead single "I Want That Boom Boom" is as straightforward as they come, but also effective, a visceral slab of squealing guitars that offers no apologies.

Marie is celebrating Life with a release party at Lucky Strike on July 27.

It’s been seven years since I’ve been attending FYF Fest, and though the festival has gone through many, many changes throughout the years I can confidently say that it still retains a tone that clearly favors music lovers. Even with the higher price tag, and an additional third day, it’s almost as if it still needs to present itself as such. Given that FYF is still not an immediate sold-out event, there’s still a fine line that the event coordinators have to walk. While it’s mostly a given that you invite the likes of Missy Elliott and Frank Ocean to gather crowds into such a costly endeavor, it’s still just as necessary to make sure that your undercard is just as valuable. 

Considering how FYF began as a gathering place for post-hardcore and punk fans with refined taste, there’s always going to be a certain expectation it has to meet. But it had to grow, and if that means bringing forth an Apple-endorsed artist like 6lack and current hot commodity Mura Masa to spike up on sales then so be it. It’s leagues better than succumbing to EDM flavor-of-the-week fodder, and still, they’ll still invite the likes of Blonde Redhead (who had a sizable crowd at the more communal Club Stage even if they didn’t play one of their banner records) and emo purists Cap N’ Jazz (another explosive performance, even if the tambourine tossing was both childish and obnoxious at once) to appease an early thirty-something like myself.

But mainly, I was concerned about how the festival would benefit the good amount of local talent this city has. And though the final tally was scantier than other years, it was still able to deliver on that front. If you were there early enough on Sunday afternoon, the adorably-named Cherry Glazerr did offer a welcome shot of adrenaline to those who needed to cure themselves of Saturday’s post-Frank Ocean hangover. The same goes for genre-bending four piece Chicano Batman, who also brought a large gathering to the Lawn Stage with their 4 pm slot (a time that brought an underwhelming crowd the day before). But I can’t say that all the local acts scored a perfect ten: Moses Sumney was too reliant on the intricate trickery of his recorded material instead of trying to translate it to a more engrossing live experience, and Thundercat affirmatively clocked in as if he had to fulfill his day job. And yeah, Ty Segall once again delivered a knockout performance (he was gracious and honored to be something of an opening act to Iggy Pop, and I can’t imagine anyone else deserving it more).

So aside from the strangely-concocted set times (lining up Built to Spill, Perfume Genius and King Krule so close to each other just, well, cruel), I can say with much assurance that FYF is still the strongest contender of all summer music festivals. Sure, it doesn’t have the allure of a desert landscape or even an expansive park to its advantage, as the main stage has the appearance of a makeshift parking lot even if it works in a logistical sense, but it’s still very convenient to navigate without straining your legs too much. And they’re still intent on bringing special live experiences you can’t find anywhere. With FYF it’s all about that lineup, and thankfully, there was so much to see this year that you were bound to miss some things. And that’s not a bad problem to have. 

Stone Irr navigates a series of internal waypoints on "What I Do Best." A recent LA-transplant from Bloomington, Indiana, Irr writes patiently-surging songs informed by neo-folk hymns. It’s an anthem that’s both intimite and inclusive, where his immaculate vocal harmony leads us through a soft wash of billowing chords.

"What I Do Best" is the lead-off track off of Irr’s debut full-length, Sinner, which is out on July 28 via Darling Recordings. 

 

Marc Baker falls in and out of love on his buoyant debut track, "No Place I’d Rather Be." It’s a genuine sentiment that many of us go through, and it’s not one that’s explored enough in your typical love song. But Baker makes it a joyful from beginning to end, putting forth a peppy new wave romp that combines the sleek, rhythmic backdrop of Tonight I’m Yours-era Rod Stewart with the playful exuberance of Duran Duran. 

The dreamy opulence of Flood Coats is on a league of its own when pairing it against today’s electronic offerings. Theirs is more in tune with the bedroom recorders of this early decade (think of acts like M83, Teen Daze and Sun Airway), where the focus lies in providing a more headphone-enriching night-in than an infectious banger. And "Billowing Open" is a marvelous journey, where the duo of Joel P West and Darla Hawn evoke a yearning for peace of mind through rippling patterns and soft, yet penetrating harmonies. It has a pleasantly hazy groove with a soft rock finish that ascends and ascends until it gets lost in the clouds.

"Billowing Open" is the leading track off of the duo’s upcoming debut full-length Vaquita, which is out on July 28 via Hey Amigo Recording Co. – Juan Rodríguez

"Tompkinsville" sounds like a state of mind for singer-songwriter Dustin Lovelis. Though we’re never quite sure where it is, Lovelis’s striding psych-pop has a pleasantly hypnotic energy that makes you feel like you also belong there. A more sedate response to the disorderly garage rock that spikes our shores, the song’s swirling melody creates a concentrated atmosphere that lingers in your mind the more you listen to its sumptuously extended passages. 

Lovelis just began a residency at Bootleg Theater for the month of July. "Tompkinsville" is the first reveal off of his debut solo effort, Been Hit Before, which comes out on August 25 via Friendship Fever. – Juan Rodríguez

In 2017, FYF will really prove their high stature as one of this country’s most laboriously-curated musical festivals. The Exposition Park-hosted event has had some of the today’s biggest acts, sure, but it also had to quicken the pace so it could keep up with the logistical demands it entails. Now that they’re practically veterans in the music festival market, a race that sees an increasing amount of choices year after year, the one reason why FYF continues to succeed is because it hasn’t lost sight of its core audience.

This year’s is also particularly notable for having easily one of the most diverse, and doing so while retaining their reputation as percipient tastemakers. A quick glance at the lineup shows they’re devoted to bringing aboard a rich array of legendary performers in one single weekend (Iggy Pop, Missy Elliott, Nine Inch Nails and Bjork), all while welcoming an impressive selection of sought-after critical darlings (Frank Ocean, Mitski, 6lack, Princess Nokia, Big Thief).

Since we primarily cover local artists, this preview will focus on shining the spotlight on the five local artists were most excited to see. We’re also proud to say that two of the artists featured on this list were covered at The Deli during their early days, so we’re delighted to see them perform among such a high-caliber roster.

1. Frank Ocean: Oh, Frank. You almost had us on 2015. Even if the prospect of seeing Ocean two years ago seemed unlikely from the start, we’re pretty confident that the elusive R&B megastar is going to impress after releasing 2016’s genre-defying release, Blonde. The time just wasn’t right, seeing as we honestly had no idea what he was up to at the time. Having Kanye West as pinch hitter while he was on the DL was quite the tall order, but in our heart of hearts, we really wanted Ocean all along. And our expectations couldn’t be any higher.

2. Moses Sumney: There’s a lot riding on Moses Sumney, an artist who was voted as our Best Emerging Artist of the year back in 2013! His genre-ending electro-soul has had us in awe for years now, but he hasn’t quite broken through yet despite his splendid last EP, Lamentations. But Sumney just brought to us a wonderful gift, entitled “Doomed”, a patiently spellbinding new single that has us really intrigued for his still-mysterious new project. His set is not to be missed, and should act as a primer for potential world domination.

3. Chicano Batman: Seeing as Los Angeles is a hub of multi-ethnic culture (I’m Puerto Rican myself), it’s fitting that FYF is beginning to acknowledge how much the Latino community also enjoys the independent persuasion. And having Mexican-American four-piece Chicano Batman is the perfect starting point, a band whose eclectic mixture of psychedelic rock deserves a larger audience.

4. Cherry Glazzer: Cherry Glazerr’s no-frills jams distill guitar rock to its barest and most pure, and with a touch of defiant feminism to boot. Hot on the heels of their latest LP, Apocalypstick, the hard-rocking trio are going to satiate the appetite of those who like their riffs heavy and their hooks sharp.

5. Flying Lotus: Around here, we like to make fun of how many times Ty Segall has attended FYF. (Note: too many for us to remember, but we really don’t mind.) And Flying Lotus comes at a not-so-distant second, but this time, he’s bringing a new set up made up of 3D Visuals. From what we’ve seen it’s quite the stunner, though honestly, we’re glad he’s actually incorporating his own material instead of playing another DJ set.

Update: Set list times are now up! Click here for more info. – Juan Rodríguez