In their latest singles, “17” and “Party Down the Street,” Brooklyn-based band, What Moon Things blend elements of synth pop, post punk and shoegaze, while maintaining subtle melancholic undertones.  Their lyrics read like nostalgic poetry, accompanied by raw guitar riffs and the even rawer voices of John Morisi and Jake Harms.  “17” and “Party Down the Street” giveus a taste their upcoming full length, “Someone Who Isn’t Me,” set to be released on July 15th, 2016. From the sound of it, it looks like it’s going to be a little bit more pop-oriented than their previous releases.  The band is playing several New York shows before the album drops, the soonest one being June 4th at Sunnyvale. – Madeleine Grossman 

As their name implies, Blasteroid‘s sound is at times an explosive blast of noise, but can also be calm and composed. Since we covered them last (in October 2015) the Brooklynites released their debut EP Pretty Good, a carefully crafted but edgy sounding record, that channels genres as disparate as pop, noise rock, psychedelia and even prog-rock. Opening track “Artie and the Mountain” establishes this right away by starting off with a swirling ambient introduction that erupts about a minute into a bizarre song that juxtaposes monster math rock distorted riffs with more casual moments reminiscent of Pavement. On “Wet Dog” the verses feature hushed vocals and calm instrumentation that come to a head during the grungy chorus with fuzzy, distorted guitars. The band handles these transitions between soft and loud parts with poise, but its unpretentious, "semi-slacking" attitude prevents it from sounding pompous. ‘Heater‘ strikes the best balance between classic song structure, and tension/release dynamics, with its memorable chorus and exploding bridge – while an out of key guitar solo contributes in making things a little bit more random. Enjoyable and imaginative, powerful and melodic, the Pretty Good EP is definitely more than that. 
Blasteroid will be playing Alphaville on June 3rd in support of Holy Tunics. – John Honan

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

Last Thursday night saw voodoo surf thrashers Sunshine Mind, the proggy serotonin fueled semi-locals Deep Fields, and an angsty Matryoshka doll of chaos and boozy guitars called Secret Garden bring their own very different sounds and concoctions of influences out to Harvard and Stone. From opener Sunshine Mind’s sprinkling of screamed vocals that irreverently tear apart any false assumptions of conventional SoCal surf band tropes to Secret Garden’s swampy, somber quietness giving way—rather violently—to nervous, sinewy guitar improvisations. And that’s to say nothing of Deep Field’s brilliant ‘70s inspired Rhodes piano odyssey that set the whole of Harvard and Stone on fire three-quarters into their set. Sunshine Mind ripped through groovy and pummeling (yet still very surfy) tunes with gusto. Think Misfits if they traded in corpse paint for plaid and California "good vibrations". Singer Henry Lopez peppered in energetic screaming vocals to break up melodic "ooh-ahh" lines that never let you get too comfortable in your expectations. A menacing undertone permeates their more-aggressive-than-your-average surf pop songs, torn apart and reassembled with ‘60s voodoo menace.

Next up were the brilliant Deep Fields hailing from Orange County. Their lush songwriting and layered piano accompaniments is a shot of serotonin to the proverbial arm of Harvard and Stone. Kaleidoscopic, Rush-reminiscent arrangements and a genuinely fun energy pulses alongside ‘70s Rhodes piano lines that are at once elegant and yet bursting like rays of light shining down on grooving flower beds of vocal and guitar melody. If 12-string electric guitar and Rhodes piano don’t make the most pleasant sounding musical combination, I don’t know what does. Secret Garden finished out the night with a set of swampy, troubled, mercurial jams laced with a "fuck-it-all" ethos. Singer Dani Evans was full to bursting with gravitas as she commanded a strong stage presence both fearless and fierce, going from skate punk ferocity to genuinely somber moments of singer-songwriter affectation. Ultimately, they got cut off early (and not entirely without reason) but this band—and Evans especially—has some serious heart. – Andrew Mendoza

Brooklyn via Berlin electronic artist Von Sell appeared on the scene last year with uber-catchy synth pop single "Ivan." With his recent second release, a synth-soul ballad entitled "I Insist" (streaming below), the young man showcases a multifaceted talent through his ability to create two very different but similarly strong electro pop singles. His pop-soul inclinations are compensated by arrangements often flirting with unexpected, at times even quirky textural elements, like the flutes towards the end of "Ivan" or the warbly synths in "I Insists." You can catch Von Sell live on June 7th at Rockwood Music Hall. – Amanda McCall

Long Island quartet Giants at Large released their first album in three years, ‘The American Dream is Dead,’ in March of 2015. The band’s pop-punk sound is characterized by intelligent (and intelligible) lyrics and sincere vocals, something that certainly contributed in securing them a young and growing fan base. They just released a full band version of the track “Sympathy”, which appeared on The American Dream as an acoustic track. This version of the track allows the band’s catchy hooks, pop rhythms, and personality to shine, and takes more influence from melodic pop-punks acts such as Saves The Day, Yellowcard, and The Ataris. Giants at Large will be playing at Palisades in support of Have Mercy on June 17th and will be at Amityville Music Hall on June 19th in support of Brandon Reilly. Check out “Sympathy” below! – John Honan

Boston band Field Day excels at creating an indie pop/rock sound that’s a perfect soundtrack for a night on the town. Their simple but powerful guitar melodies are built for foot-tapping, and the two vocalists exhibit great chemistry. Peculiar to this band is the alternating of male/female lead vocalists, something that gives each song a different feel, while still keeping the group’s recognizable sound that makes them so enjoyable. This is a band with a cohesive, no frills pop-rock sound with the potential to make you jump, check them out at the Great Scott on 6/1. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber 

On the surface, Queuelbum, the debut LP of Moldovian, NY-based songwriter Serge Bulat, already stands out. His contained experimentalism is striking, as he is able to coalesce electronic textures and keyboard melodies to create a sound that, flirting with influences as varied as post rock, ambient house, classical and lounge, is overall serene, but not without interesting friction.

Queuelbum, though, is more than just its music.  It’s also a concept album about the fluidity of past and present, with a catch—it’s entirely instrumental. Instead of injecting meaning through lyrics, Bulat provides abstract pieces of prose, images and, alongside director Michael Rfdshir, moving scenes of visual art: Serge provides meaningful guides that seek to stimulate the listener’s thoughts about his music and the album’s central theme, time. The music also reflects this: the songs are kept busy enough to make them interesting, while still allowing for enough space for the intellectual contemplation the composer intends to stimulate.

Queuelbum is an ambitious project that can trigger intellectual though or simply be enjoyed in the background. Whichever way you want to approach it, chances are it will be entertaining in interesting ways. – Henry Solotaroff-Webber