THE DELI

Brooklyn collective Sloppy Jane is slowly but inexorably building a growing fanbase through a double-punch of theatrical post-punk delivered through a live performance that caters to widespread voyeuristic inclinations. At their shows you can expect an atmosphere reminiscent of pagan rituals, where noisy guitars, screaming voices, twisted lyrics and naked bodies concoct a performance that’s provocative at every level. 2018 album Willow sounds like a theatrical post-punk/DIY opera and – allegedly – tells the story of a “girl who existed inside of a strip club in Inglewood, who ran away to the desert to hustle pool with a lion, and who burned herself alive for [our] freedom.” It’s a powerful record filled with odd tracks that develop in unexpected sonic and vocal directions, without ever sounding disjointed or randomly assembled. Its manic energy well represents a band whose most noteworthy strength resides in a live show that is absolutely impossible to ignore. The band recently announced a short tour in the South and their participation in the 2019 SXSW Festival

“Hell is beautiful and everyone wants to go there.”

This haunting sentence lingers, like many, on Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Jake Harms’ “Aquarium,” the title track from his recently released six track EP out on Good Eye Records. Harms, who performs mononymously on Aquarium but comprises one-forth of Brooklyn lofi outfit What Moon Things, channels a baritone vocal performance immediately evocative of late ’70s post-punk, with its mellifluous, dark quality occasionally breaking into a scream against a cataclysm of dreamgaze guitars and analogue synth. The whole of Aquarium is driven in large part by the size and power of Harms’ lyricism and vocal delivery, a heartbreakingly raw performance that explores depression, self-doubt, and regret. It’s visceral, overpowering, and at times deeply uncomfortable, but HARMS composes some of the most honest, unapologetic songwriting to come out of New York this year, meriting praise from its bold presentation of the uncomfortability of human existence. Stream HARMS’ Aquarium below. –Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

We’ve been saying for years that female indie musicians have, on average, been producing a lot more interesting material than their dude counterparts, and L’Freaq, the project of bi-coastal electronic singer songwriter Lea Cappelli, is another piece in the truly beautiful puzzle representing NYC women’s musical output in the new millennium. After releasing the delicate yet edgy electro-soul ballad "Weird Awakenings," the artists has recently unveiled a darker (and even edgier) single/video combo with  "Moonlight" – streaming below. Channeling the experimental, noir ballads of Portishead, the track features a deceivingly sparse arrangement, blending a killer plodding and syncopated rhythm section with ever-evolving, ambient electronic soundscape. Lea’s vocals not only confirm her noteworthy pipes and silky tone, but also reveal her ability to convey character to a performance and "play" the song’s part, a trait only few musical performer possess. Don’t miss her next live performance at Rockwood on February 2nd.