Brooklyn and Harlem-based artists gather once again to showcase their talents at The Revolution Vol. 38 this Saturday, April 27th. The performance series will once again highlight independent pop culture and musicians who go beyond the confines of their genre. The showcase will feature three prominent acts who epitomize the messages of the movement: Ohene Cornelius, Sol Liebeskind, and Lotushalves.

Ohene Cornelius mixes synthesized beats with a natural flow and delivers messages directly to independent  artists, urging them to remain themselves in spite of industry pressures. The fluid R&B of Lotushalves examines identity, grapples with relationships, and promotes personal growth. Sol Liebeskind’s soulful vocals have a high class to them that mix well with the urban breadth of her music, in a style similar to R&B New York City legend Alicia Keys. All three of these artists have something important to say and on Saturday night they surely will.

Kami Maltz has wowed listeners with her smooth voice, her blending of folk and electronic elements, and her ability to craft songs about complex emotions through catchy hooks and poetic lyrics. Her new single "Kingdom" has all of that; it dropped last week and has already started to gain some traction on streaming services. The Deli now premieres the track’s video, which Maltz filmed with an all-female crew over the course of one day. The rainy day atmosphere of the video adds to Maltz’s lyrics about romance and the soft arrangement of the track. If you want to catch Maltz live, she’ll perform at the Owl Music Parlor in Prospect Lefferts Gardens on May 10. Until then, catch the premiere of the video for "Kingdom" below. – Will Sisskind

Dreampop continues to evolve in a variety of unexpected ways, with Brooklyn’s Teen Body adding an emo element to it on their latest album “Dreamo” via NYC label Broken Circles. As the album title combines those two descriptive genres into one single word, so does the music represented on the eight songs it contains. “Fell Off” immediately strikes a wistful mood through melancholic chords and Shannon Lee’s syrupy vocals. “Act Yr Age” opts for a more angular progression to support its over six minutes in length and lyrically dense story on the complications of romantic relationships. “Ballad of Tomboy Jerry” continues the record’s pattern of initially restrained instrumentation that ultimately builds to a crescendo, combined with Ms Lee’s poignant voice. Bassist Xela French provides the storytelling on “The Draag,” while both singers shine in tandem on the uptempo single “Validation.” The titletrack pulls all of these elements together via exultant guitar hooks, deep resonant bass, slow-groove drumming and those emotive tandem vocals. You can access “Dreamo” through the various listening services here. – Dave Cromwell

The Throwin’ Bo’s folks are bringing a pretty solid line up to Milk Bar this Wednesday night. A local favorite, Moon Daze, will be gracing the stage with their fun dream pop hotness. Easy is coming up from LA with their psych rock vibes. And last but dear lord not least is Blac Rabbit. It’s a true treat to have these boys touring from NY. Their rocks and rolls are high, their baselines are a dreamy hot backbone and all with just the right amount of reverb and harmonic moments that are on point. Wednesday the 24th at Milk Bar! – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

The music of Brooklyn singer-songwriter Adir L.C. has a worldly sound to it that integrates its more traditional folk elements, a result perhaps of his frequent trips across the U.S. and far beyond. The Israeli-born artist’s latest single “Big Bad” (streaming) kicks off with a burst of percussions that quickly comes to a halt, opening up space for acoustic guitars that ring with serenity. As Adir begins to sing, the intimacy of the setting may remind you of a friend who has a story to tell, someone with a rich past but who’s not done growing and learning. The song slowly grows to incorporate a full arrangement, including a brass section that lifts the chorus to the song’s climax, without ever losing its earnest folk quality. The single forms part of Adir’s second full-length record release Basket Star, which is due out May 17th, and promises to further expose the troubadour’s thoughts on life between New York and Tel Aviv. Catch Adir L.C. performing at Our Wicked Lady in Brooklyn on April 26th. – Rene Cobar

San Francisco’s Micropixie creates spacey warm sounds with a sixties French psych pop feel. It’s a multilingual, multi-genre listening experience addressing social norms, masculinity, and gender and cultural identity. The video for “Como Mínimo” is a captivating and thought-provoking viewing experience that we recommend. Singles have been sprinkling out of upcoming album Dark Sight of the Moon and we’re bracing ourselves for the full release this week. Out the third of May. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Let the antipathy wash over you on Superblonde’s new record Stay Dumb, an eight track hardcore symposium on fatalism and self-doubt. From fire starter “Learning To Burn’s” introductory lyrics (“our lives are over”) to the allegorical title track “Stay Dumb” (“I’m… like a fly on a sundial with no wings, no real desire to leave”) to shredded closer “Chüb,” the scope of Superblonde’s philosophical outlook comes at the behest of frontman Ryan Richardson’s shrewd, meticulous lyrics. While the content is often bleak, a close reading shows Richardson’s worldview is at times ambivalent, recognizing the difficulty of change, in both a personal and cultural capacity, but acknowledging it is possible. Parred with floor tom destroying percussion and ear ringing guitar work, Stay Dumb is a cathartic album for the increasingly uncertain times we live in. Stream it below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Brooklyn-based band Crumb’s mesmeric melodies and enthralling jazz arrangements will spread across broader than ever with the release of their debut LP Jinx on June 14th. The lead single for the LP, “Nina” contains all the haunting vocals, entrancing guitar licks, and poised beats that have made this band’s last two EPs—2016’s Crumb and 2017’s Locket—a buzz story in New York City and beyond. Lila Ramani (guitar, vocals) showcases her casual confidence in her vocal delivery, keeping pace with the instrumentation of the rest of the band, concocting an imaginative sound that find its roots in bedroom pop and psychedelia. The music video for the song stars David Patrick Kelly of the acclaimed TV show Twin Peaks and is as captivating as the song itself. Don’t believe us? See it for yourself here. – Rene Cobar

The Replacements, $3 malt liquor, summer vacation, Cal Rifkin‘s music conjurs sounds and memories, a commendable accomplishment. All the ingredients for success are there and are intuitively executed. The driving, lo-fi rock sound, the sentimental lyrics, the secretly sick guitar solo, oh the fond memories that I’m sure it would evoke in me if I had any fond memories of high school and college parties. Rifkin has the basics down, and the result is music made with passion; music that can satisfy the short-attention spans of the inebriated; music that can engage you while also secretly helping you to achieve catharsis. To this I say well done sir!

-Mike Dranove

The lush vocals of Brooklyn, NY musician Johnny Darlin slip into the eardrums of the listener early on in his single “Way With Words,” and with the assistance of sixties-styled vocal harmonies, delayed guitar licks, and a groovy drum beat create a sedating listening experience. The lounge-pop sound of Johnny Darlin is intriguing enough as it is, and yet the accompanying music video to the single adds another layer of interest for the listener—the setting of an Arkansas church, where Darlin entertains the devotees, is transformed into a bubbly dance dream to the sound of his baritone voice. The video for “Way With Words” was released last month, and the song is available in his 2018 EP of the same name. Johnny Darlin knows how to tell a good story, see it for yourself here. – Rene Cobar 

Music doesn’t have to be confrontational, hammering away or building tension, in order to convey to the listener a sense of gratification. NTHNL has chosen a path of escapism rather than digging into gritty details on “Away We Go,” opting for broad synths and effervescent vocals that lift the track to a headspace that is both introspective and exploratory. Drifting up and down doesn’t mean the production is aimless, however; the seemingly skeletal nature of the song traces the miniature climaxes that occur with every chorus. It’s a delightful soundscape, perfunctory yet powerful. “Away We Go” is the second single off NTHNL’s upcoming album and you can stream it below. –Tucker Pennington

I didn’t know it was possible to make good music with even more reverb than Mogwai, but Bound does it, quite well I might add. Nuthin like a good ol fashioned post-rock buildup into climax to make an impact on your overloaded senses.  As Ronald Reagan once said, “One thing ’bout music when it hits you feel no pain.” And you gotta appreciate the thought and effort they are putting into the tracks; this is some primo sound design, expense not spared here. Seriously, I listened with headphones and I was basking in the tone quality. Even if you don’t love post-rock, check this out.

Stand out tracks: Current, Hold

-Mike Dranove