Mothica’s music relies heavily on those dynamic shifts in mood and energy that have become increasingly popular since the EDM bubble burst and more and more artists lifted their ideas into different genres. For the most part, these ideas can fall flat, sounding like cheap excuses to up the amplitude, but this Brooklyn via Oklahoma City transplant infuses these bursts of energy with endearing and tender moments that make each song a thrill to experience. Residing somewhere in between chillwave and bedroom pop, her music comes to life with soft pulses of electronica and gentle drums before her commanding voice takes center stage. It’s only when the hook comes in on songs like “Water Me Down” do the moments of bombast hit an emotional apex; wobbling synths sideswipe and careen upward in a powerful moment of emotional vulnerability. Her music makes for cinematic displays of affection and hurt. You can catch her performing live on August 16 at Mercury Lounge, and you can stream her music below. –Tucker Pennington

The sophomore LP by Berkeley band Curling, entitled Definitely Band, is a feel-good frenzy of jangly shoegaze rock. This release — a mix of Beatlesque melodies that blow up and pop like bubble gum and fervently executed guitar riffs that make your heart jitter — is entirely their own. The second track on the album, “Flutter” (streaming below), genuinely brings about a thrilling frission, even on your tenth or eleventh spin of the track. Curling have outdone themselves this time. They will be playing at The Down & Out in L.A. on August 16, and then kicking off a summer tour the following day. – Lilly Milman

Just in time for you to blast it through your speakers with the top down, The YeahTones have released their newest single "Son of a Gun" ahead of their new EP Lightning, which is set to drop this fall. They return on this track with the same brash rock that drove listeners to a frenzy on 2016’s Eviction Notice; front man Jake Pinto’s voice comes screaming like a set of wheels peeling out of a driveway, with the rest of the band fueling the roaring engine as they take your eardrums at 100 miles an hour down a desert road. Grammy-nominated engineer Claudius Mittendorfer mixed the track; he’s known for his work with Weezer and Panic at the Disco. On top of that, "Son of a Gun" was also recently featured in Season 8 of Shameless. Watch for Lightning to drop this fall, and listen to "Son of a Gun" below. – Will Sisskind

It’s been over four years since Like Herding Cats put out proper studio recordings of new material.  With the recent release of their Curious Faces EP, the band delivers five creatively stimulating and impeccably recorded tracks.  Along with the record comes the accompanying music video for their single “Affliction”, streaming below.  Employing his own Carousel Media House video production company, frontman Dom P produced and directed this visually striking achievement. Filmed in a historic Catskills home, the imagery depicts a stylish but troubled woman with precise quick cuts and focused details. The song itself is a brilliant update on the very best elements of mid-80’s-to-early-90’s alternative pop.  From the opening three snare drum shots, warm keyboard pads, quick pulsing bass guitar and distinctive repeated sonic hook–echoed by overlaying guitar licks–every note has it’s place and purpose. Like Herding Cats play next at Coney Island Baby on 8/9 with Slowness, Heavy Birds and Holy Tunics. – Dave Cromwell

Googie hails from a long line of rappers with legendary voices: Method Man, GURU, Ludacris, Gift of Gab, etc. Dudes with voices like this–cut with that perfect amount of gravel but with effortless enunciation, and some glint of unfathomable swag–they never needed to say anything of substance for us to clamor after their music. Funnily enough, they still usually end up saying more than many of their less-blessed peers. Googie flexes styles, rhyme patterns, and topical ruminations like he’s teaching a master class. In the video for the first single “Molecules,” Googie breaks down some science for all the simpletons still squabbling over whether J. Cole or Drake dropped the hottest fire last year. -brokeMC

googie :: molecules from gmmcks on Vimeo.

The mathy debut EP With Sadness by the emo Hartford duo Two Headed Girl is leaves no gory detail untouched. The emotional project, fronted by Celeste Padua and Angelica Padua, is hard to compare to anyone else. Right from the opening track “Holy Ghost,” this project swallows you whole with the intense choruses and surreal riffs. The duo’s delivery of lines like “I’ll die alone / we all die alone” (from the catchy “Miss Me”) does not touch melodramatic, instead coming across as completely genuine. “Target Practice” is effortlessly relatable, and “Favorite Song” is searingly honest. As you can imagine, the rest of the tracks follow suit. They will be playing a live show tomorrow, August 8, at MAC 650 Gallery & Artist Co-Op in Middletown, CT. – Lilly Milman, photo by Jillian Maraj

Stream the full With Sadness EP below.

The Burlington-based folk trio Emma Cook & Questionable Company has a mythic origin story; co-creators Andy Feltus and Max Guyton began playing music together as roommates at the University of Vermont, and later met Emma — with whom Andy fell in love. The trio played their first show together on Halloween in 2012, and have been an unstoppable force ever since. Yesterday, the trio released their newest single “You Know Why” (streaming below), a jazzy folk track that leverages Emma’s incomparably smooth vocals to create something that sounds close to magic. Their next show will be at ArtsRiot in Burlington on August 9. – Lilly Milman, photo by Kayhl Cooper

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Francis Aud describes his music as “funk and soul music that is almost as charming as he is.” His most recent release “Friends Like Us” is a sweet summer song about friends who “don’t stay just friends for long” as he puts it. It has the universal charm and likability of a good pop song, blended with grooving synths and pulsing drums that dare you to dance. His debut EP Tender Thoughts, released last October is a collection of engaging, playful tunes. “Share this Bed” is a blues-inspired love song, while “Yeah!” is a powerful, heartfelt ballad complete with a commanding brass section and old soul tenderness. You can catch Francis live with his band “The Professionals” this Thursday, August 9 at Mercury Lounge. -Lily Crandall

Fresh off of their impressive live show appearance at Northside Fest, noisy dream-gazers No Swoon premiere their latest track “Blame The Messenger” here on The Deli. Establishing its soaring melody from the very first note, a triumphant swirl of guitar and keyboards float above deep thudding drums. Vocalist (and guitarist) Tasha Abbott sings in a sultry and elongated style that references Liz Fraser of Cocteau Twins. “Blame the messenger and dusty words,” she sings (extended out as “wo-o-o-ords”) against the band’s momentary angular accents. “Tongue’s all wet (pronounced “way-a-yet”), flooding the curb” points towards a theme of desire and apprehension. With nearly if not all the bass coming from keyboards, the tracks underpinnings are buzzier and less note driven. A central ambient interlude ultimately leads to one more lengthy instrumental break, complete with elevated vocal outro. The band will play a free show this Wednesday 8/8 at Elsewhere’s Rooftop with Rodes Rollins. – Dave Cromwell

Sometimes it can seem arbitrary what gets labeled as derivative and what gets labeled as simply inspired. Why does an indie rock band get called rip-offs while a similar group is deconstructing sounds and reinventing old ideas? Gamblers are the latest band to confront this question with their newest single “Corinthian Order” off their upcoming EP of the same name. Indebted to Wilco, the track features plinking percussion and a slight twang on the guitars as the breezy melodies and lush vocal harmonies shuffle together nonchalantly. The comparisons to the alt-country legends could have ended there, but what makes this reiteration so refreshing is the continuation of Wilco’s almost zen-like understanding of relationships. The laid back approach to miscommunication and realizing that time is the only cure for problems culminates with Beach Boys-esque vocals that coo and assure the world that everything’s all right. It’s an updated take on a classic sound, fusing indie-pop with sentiments that were mastered by previous generations of artists, and it’s what makes Gamblers’ newest song a delightful passing of the torch. The Corinthian Order EP will be out September 7. -Tucker Pennington

T-Rextasy’s brand of pop-punk has always slanted toward the pop end of the spectrum, driving home affecting and candy-coated hooks that always have a fierce bite. But just below the surface of the political lampooning on many of their songs are moments of emotional poignancy and surprising sentimentality. And with their newest single “Girl, Friend”, the band have continued to hit that sweet spot between charming, quaint and moving. Streaking guitars and up-tempo drums set the scene for a ballad about charting the unexplored territory of determining a potential partner’s sexuality. While the call and response between Lyris Faron and the faux valley girl of the song’s story can be humorous, it’s the earnest delivery of lines like “Just be my friend, be my girl, friend” cut to the heart of this song’s driving theme: a desire for real connection with another person in a world full of uncertainties. T-Rextasy’s style of punk is vital for the current age and live show at Elsewhere on August 30 is a must-see. You can stream “Girl, Friend” below. –Tucker Pennington

Folk music as of late has gotten the reputation of being intertwined with indie rock, relying on quirky personalities or opulent production that makes it easy to place each artist in identifiable boxes. Characters like Joanna Newsom and Sufjan Stevens have changed what folk means in the 21st century. Then there are artists like Samuel Campoli, who don’t easily fit into the standard of modern indie folk. His voice is low key, but his singing never feels phoned in. The production in his latest release Claverack EP isn’t especially lo-fi, but there are moments where the fuzz gently overtakes the instruments that shifts the momentum and emotion of the track. The arrangements are rather simple, with songs like opener “Caroline” and the interlude “Didit” able to generate woeful moments of longing. These six compositions that comprise this release feel like they could be somewhat standard songs under anyone else’s execution, yet it’s Campoli’s ability to smear his colorful creations into shadowy creatures that feel at once homey and close to the unknown that makes Claverack EP a welcoming excursion away from folk music’s new traditions. You can stream the EP below and catch Campoli live at Elsewhere on August 28. –Tucker Pennington