NYC

Seez Mics is quality rap from Kensington, MD

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Kensington, MD is definitely not known for hip-hop, and yet, in a city defined by office buildings and a quaint, elderly feel, rapper Seez Mics has been slowly honing his craft for more than twenty years. The result of his steady musical output is his latest release, WITH, and it is pretty sweet. WITH two other rappers featured on every song (hence the title of the album), and the help of producer Scott Kuzner, Nicholas Policy (Seez Mics) and Co. have brought some serious poetic flow to this albm. On top of the pleasing beats and rhythm, clever rhymes and personal touches give this album a real sense of honesty.

Here’s "Won’t You" from Steez’s new album WITH.

-Written by Michael Dranove

NYC

DC indie shoegaze outfit Venn drops a great EP

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The first song on Venn‘s self-titled EP, "Surreal", starts out on solid ground, but before you know it the dreampop kicks in and this EP never comes down again.  The textures of the album, to put it simply, are pretty.  The sounds of shoegaze, dreampop, and indie psychedelia blend nicely.  Specifically, the vocals sound almost like what might happen if Morrisey did shoegaze, insolent but cool as heck and full of passion.

All in all a great first original release from these DC youngsters.       

-Written by Michael Dranove       

Philadelphia

New Port Arthur Album Available for Streaming & Download

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Serene Americana welded within an experimental organ/synth-anchored platform, Fall of Man, the new EP from Port Arthur, toes the threshold between trippy and traditional. The Luke Shefsk-led ensemble crafts a union between a folk proximity marinated in inviting strings and sustaining backing vocals. However, that backyard bonfire vibe is contrasted by surging searches of outer auras.

Nashville

Latasha Alcindor is the Best of NYC in Electronic/Hip Hop category

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We are ready to declare Latasha Alcindor, popularly known as “LA,” the winner of both our Readers’ Poll and the overall Best of NYC chart (which includes votes from our jurors). 

The rapper has created a solid trajectory for herself.  From SXSW to NY Fashion Week to NYLON, she is garnering attention for her sharp delivery and feminist message.  On the recent NYLON rap session, LA raps, “I switch up to this bigger picture.  These ladies ain’t my competition, this is all militia.  We switching up the paradigm to a femme state of mind, only reason Trump is here, God tellin ‘This is time.’”  In her new video for “Revoke Thee,” LA unleashes a torrent of warnings against the smack talkers out there.  It’s an old school boom bap banger perfect to test the bass on those new headphones.  Latasha is currently an ‘Artist in Residence‘ at Williamsburg’s National Sawdust.

Kudos also to Ela Minus and Raycee Jones, who placed second respectively in the overall chart and in the readers’ poll – you can stream them below!

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Here’s the full list of the finalists in the Electronic/Hip Hop category.

 Akinyemi
  6%   81 votes
 Argonaut and Wasp
  0%   10 votes
 Ben Talmi
  0%   9 votes
 Cafune
  0%   3 votes
 Ela Minus
  0%   6 votes
 Glassio
  1%   24 votes
 King Neptune
  3%   44 votes
 Latasha Alcindor
  46%   555 votes
 Macula Dog
  0%   1 vote
 Maggie Rogers
  0%   5 votes
 NOLIFE
  0%   1 vote
 Pronoun
  1%   17 votes
 Raycee Jones
  36%   444 votes
 True Blue
  0%   2 votes
 Von Sell
  0%   2 votes

 

 

 

NYC

Deli NYC Record of the Month: Ian Sweet

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Trio Ian Sweet, the brainchild of Los Angelinos guitarist Jilian Medford, relocated from Boston to Brooklyn in 2016. The city has been kind to them: the group has gathered a fair amount of interest since the move, after which they released two records in quick succession (their early releases, a lot more experimental, date back as far as 2013). While the earlier of the two (a self titled mini-LP) sounds like a transitional album, ‘Shapeshifter‘ delivers a sound that’s edgy, fun and mature – within the perimeters of the DIY aesthetics, which despise maturity. It’s a mix of math rock, indie pop and psychedelia that marries the cerebral and the imaginative in surprising ways. Jilian’s voice, always distorted in a blurry way, conveys a violent brightness to the tracks, and is at times reminiscent of early Bjork. Breakout single #23 (streaming bewlow) is the perfect exemplification of the band’s disciplinately unruly pop expressionism. The record is a constant surprise, full of incredibly vibrant sounds, often drenched with rare passion (‘2soft2chew‘) but also prone to playfulness (‘All Skaters Go To Heaven‘). The feeling we get is that ‘Shapeshifter’ is a sonic portrait of a band in the perfect musical sweet spot (like the Pixies on ‘Surfer Rosa’), that confidently balances a youthful imagination with quality songwriting, and a sound that’s daring without being over-produced. 

Ian Sweet will soon be going on tour that will take them to Austin for SXSW and then to the West Coast.

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

San Francisco

Video Premiere: King Willow – Galapagos

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We’re excited to premiere the new music from the Bay Area based sister duo, King Willow. Their new single, Galapagos is an addictive acoustic pop track that tells a story of love relationships and the need for freedom.

Sisters, Amanda and Julianna Salguero make up the twin chambers of King Willow’s wistfully beating heart. With a sound some have likened to The Head and the Heart and First Aid Kit, their original music shows a range from slower huskier numbers to upbeat and clever pop anthems. East Coast natives and current San Franciscans, these two bicoastal babes bring humor and grace to indie folk/pop.

"Galapagos" is the story of a love gone stale – that point in a relationship where staying together is simply easier than breaking up. Two lovers with the opposite problem fight it out in the music video – their passion takes a comically dark turn as the two seek their revenge." – King Willow

King Willow is celebrating their EP release on March 23rd at Amnesia in San Francisco.
8:30pm, $7

Philadelphia

Ticket Giveaway: Creepoid, Ecstatic Vision, Purling Hiss & The Spirit of the Beehive at Underground Arts This Friday

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There is a killer, not-to-be-missed, psyched-the-fuck-out, locals-only bill happening this Friday, March 10 at Underground Arts with Creepoid, Ecstatic Vision, Purling Hiss, and The Spirit of the Beehive, and we’d be happy to get you in on us! To enter for a chance to win a pair of tix, just send an email to thedelimagazinephiladelphia@gmail.com with the subject line "Bring Weed". Please also include your cell number in the body of the message (in case of an emergency). Good luck!

Philadelphia

New Track: “Waiting” – Evil Sword

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Tortured, tormented, buried alive – a menacing but pleasant rhythm stomps on the ground above one’s head surrounded by bells and whistles in “Waiting”. It’s the first single from An Eerie Fire Eats The Brain, the forthcoming full-length album from Evil Sword, which will finally escape the experimental dungeon on March 10. Those haunting, suspenseful exchanges can be seen and heard in the flesh this Friday when Kate Ferencz, Ben Furgal & co. appear at PhilaMOCA for their tape release with local punk duo Ursula and Halloween Tres.

NYC

NYC Artists going to SXSW: Reonda

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Born and raised in Brooklyn, singer-songwriter Reonda operates in the minimalistic realm of musical production. A highlight song of her latest album ‘Lightness of Being‘ is ‘Tonight in Mexico,’ tastefully arranged with delicate strings, a metronomic beat and wistful acoustic guitar accompaniment. The simplicity of her songwriting is highlighted in the album cover, showcasing a subtle, reflective warmth. Reonda was among the NYC artists selected to be performing at an official SXSW show, on March 16th (Lamberts, 8pm). – Geena Kloeppel

NYC

Deli sponsored showcase “The Revolution Vol. 13” at National Sawdust on 3/18 with Marie Davy, Arthur Moon, Jakk Tha Rhyma, (U)nity, Iris Lune and Nikara Warren presents Black Wall Street

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The Deli NYC is proud to sponsor National Sawdust’s one year anniversary of The Revolution (VOL. 13), scheduled for March 18th at the stunning venue in the heart of Williamsburg. The performance series continues to highlight rising local artists who strive to showcase the evolution of this city’s amazing and multi-faceted music scene. Performing at the upcoming show are the following artists: R&B-influenced Marie Davy, indietronic crooner Iris Lune, the jazz vibraphone virtuoso ‘Nikara Warren presents Black Wall Street,’ avant-pop prodigy Arthur Moon, hip-hop rhyme master Jakk Tha Rhyma of Pro Era, and the Cuban-influenced sounds of (U)nity. For those looking to tap into what’s coming up in the New York music scene, this show is a must-see. More details for the March 18th event are available through Eventbrite. – Will Sisskind

Philadelphia

New The Vernes LP Available for Streaming & Download

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Recorded in their basement during 2016, three sets of singles and an EP succinctly wrapped in a cohesive package, that’s The Vernes‘ self-titled debut album. The quintet locates a whimsical, drifting, lo-fi air that can scorch despite their penchant for breezy conditions. You can catch them performing next in Philly on Wednesday, March 22 at Boot & Saddle with American Trappist and Stef Chura. (Photo by Jamison Pinkert)

L.A.

CFM displays internal battle with new single “Rise and Fall”

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CFM, the solo project of Los Angeles artist Charles Moothart, depicts an internal battle between self, dreams, and the ego with his latest single “Rise and Fall.” The Los Angeles guitarist – Fuzz and Ty Segall – continues his signature scuzzy garage blend while extracting classic rock and roll elements alongside slacker vocals. “Rise and Fall” is a constant push and pull of known influences such as Black Sabbath and Grateful Dead, not disappointing for those who adore drenched-out solo breaks. Regardless of sounds that echo the voice of CFM, Moothart states, “There’s a lot of stuff on this record that’s extremely out of my comfort zone, but that’s what I’ve come to enjoy in music.”

Dichotomy, Desaturated will be released April 7th via In The Red Records. – Janette Ayub