THE DELI

First and foremost, Foursix isn’t an artist, but rather a collective of seven, including rappers, producers, songwriters, a singer and a guitarist. Their output on Soundcloud so far has been limited to three tracks by a duo of emcees named J-Payso and Verdé Madera, and each song has demonstrated a ton of potential both on the rapping and Foursix’s producers side of things. J-payso and Verdé both have abstract, yet unpretencious flows, often stretching aproachable lyrics with complex rhyme schemes over several bars. Foursix’s producers then do a good job of accentuating their rapping with minimalist beats that give the lyrics enough room to shine. A good example of this is "Favors" (video streaming below), where the duo rap about being sick and tired of being asked for stuff while getting nothing in return over a fresh, keys-driven trap beat.

As a bonus, they also released a hilarious music video for the track which you can check out below. You can see them live at SoB’s on 9/6. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber, photo Credit: Brandon Todd

A sun-dappled song that soulfully tackles inner ennui, “The Cross I Wear” (streaming below) by Nashville-based singer/songwriter Sam Lewis is quietly pretty. Emanating a lilting alt-country feeling that warmly recalls My Morning Jacket or Hiss Golden Messenger, the keys-fleeted track (off Lewis’s eponymous debut album) is the yearning of a man with aching worries but, in its very existence, its sheer sounding out, is the coddling of those concerns, too. Sam Lewis is currently touring the country, and has a home town gig scheduled at The Basement East on September 23rd. – Zach Weg

As if there weren’t enough crazy sounds to keep you up all night, Brooklyn Wildlife is back for their annual music/art/burlesque/film/griot riot festival.  It’s eight days of music of all genres performed by 150+ performers at ten venues.  There’s something for everyone, and everything for anyone wanting to rep Brooklyn as hard as Brooklyn comes.  For more info on how you can wild out with Chris Carr and his snarling entourage, visit their facebook page here. Check out a selection of tracks by NYC artists performing, below.

Cat Be Damned is the lo-fi recording project of Richmond artist Erik Phillips, whose latest album Daydreams in a Roach Motel was released in May via Joy Void Records. His intimately soft tracks reflect on his introverted and antisocial tendencies, while also examining religion and what it’s like to be queer in the South. Drawing from inspirations such as Elvis Depressedly, Neil Young, and Elliot Smith, Phillips’ sleepy tracks employ the use of hushed vocals and melodic synths to shape his placid sound. – John Honan