Duncan Nielsen is the vocalist and guitarist behind DONCAT, the psychedelic bedroom-pop artist who is quickly rising up the ranks of the San Francisco scene. With a forthcoming LP, entitled Preservation of the Spirit, due out on May 18th and a list of shared bills that includes Ty Segall, it’s clear that Nielsen is on the brink of something big. That means his upcoming performance at Rickshaw Stop on May 31st should definitely be on your list.

The Deli SF is happy to be premiering “Cut it Out” (streaming below), a moody and memorable single that primarily revolves around the use of one minor chord — giving the track what Nielsen described as "a kind of desolte feel." Lyrically, he sees the song as “an impetus to back up your actions and feelings with true action.” Happy streaming! – Lilly Milman

Led by singer/guitarist Tasha Abbott, in their debut single "Still" Brooklyn’s No Swoon marries the blazing guitar tones of My Bloody Valentine with softer atmospheres and odd time signatures of more obscure acts of the ’90s like The Pale Saints. Notwithstanding its newness, the trio was selected to play the Northside Fest this June. Before then, you’ll be able to see them live at Alphaville on 05.24.

If you are interested in politically-oriented rap, nostalgic for the fuzzy hip-hop climate of San Francisco in the ‘90s, inspired by passion projects—or experiencing a combination of all three of these feelings—then it may be time for you to check out the newest project by SF’s own Brycon & Star Bakery Records. A group project entitled Equipto & Brycon Present The Watershed, this eclectic album combines influences, visions old and new, in order to create a new classic. Stream their debut video for “Very Own” below, and check out the rest of the album, available on all streaming services. – Lilly Milman, photo by Gina Madrid

It’s been a little less than a year since The Deli New England last heard from People Like You, the eclectic and electric gypsy-folk-rockers hailing from Portsmouth, NH. And they haven’t wasted a second of that time. Their forthcoming third studio album, Dancing on the Dead, shows the band at their best—they’re tighter than ever before, and they haven’t given up on their rootsy experimental sound, either. People Like You is filling in the gap left by other, freak-folk greats—perhaps most specficially, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes. Of course, they don’t fit perfectly in the space left by the now-disbanded group, because the music of People Like You is entirely their own. There’s nothing derivative about it.

We’re happy to be premiering the single “Adieu” from Dancing on the Dead, which will be released on May 11th. The release of the album will kickstart a summer tour, beginning at Fury’s Publick House in Dover, NH. – Lilly Milman, photo by Lily Eye

NJ-based Owel have made strides in the last several months; hot on the heels of the release of their sophomore album dear me, they embarked on a nationwide tour, let their bandmate Jane Park chase a new exciting opportunity, and released B-sides from the dear me recording sessions. Through the early part of 2018, the alt-rock now-quartet have prepared for their upcoming Midwest tour, which will take them through the middle and end of May. After traversing the Rust Belt, the band will return to the eastern states for shows in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Finally, on June 6th, they’ll return home to New Jersey for a homecoming set at The Saint in Asbury Park. If you missed the band’s last NY/NJ show at Pianos in April, mark the Asbury Park show on your calendar; with all that touring energy behind them, you’re sure to see a firecracker of a performance. Prepare yourself by listening to "Too Young To Fall In Love", a single from dear me, below. – Will Sisskind

It starts with a moment of sincerity, the music gentler and more intimate, if only slightly, than the wry post-punk typical of Bodega: “well no one is as salty as the seven seas except me.” But the moment is fleeting. To each of Ben Hozie’s proclamations of individuality in “Jack in Titanic,” he and the band adds “and Jack in Titanic.”  With two previous singles from debut album Endless Scroll and a reputation for propulsive, artistically minded live shows, Bodega has already shown its strengths to be irony, critique, and repurposing. “Jack in Titanic” uses that to the effect of inverting traditional ideas of masculinity as shown by popular cultural: to be handsome, devoted, a good dancer, a good lover. Meanwhile, the video courses out erotic images of computer mouse and cable through a square frame, televisions and cell phones making due appearance—all a part of the digital, media-driven world Bodega is commenting on, the Endless Scroll. You can watch the video for “Jack in Titanic” below. Endless Scroll is out June 1 via What’s Your Rupture? – don’t miss the release party at Sunnyvale on that same night. – Cameron Carr

On April 19th of 1943, Albert Hofman became the first person to take LSD (and also the first to do so while riding a bike.) 65 years later, Boston-based singer-songwriter Anthony Graziano released a song about it. The debut single “Bicycle Day” (streaming below) is a smooth and psychedelic lullaby, with lyrics that fluctuate between entrancing and eerie (“The roads were winding and the buildings seem tall / As if nothing was real at all / Paranoia has me question my health / Am I dying? Did I poison myself? I guess I’ll see.”) A debut EP by the artist is still forthcoming, but Graziano is definitely one to watch. – Lilly Milman

Billy Woods still won’t show his face.  Even as one of the forerunners of Brooklyn’s Indieground, he remains cloaked in mystery and blunt smoke.  In the video for “Keloid” from his most recent LP Known Unknowns, Woods is a stark silhouette against an antiseptic backdrop.  In a world that gets scarier with greater exposure to the evils at play behind the curtains, we all wish we had a “clean room” to escape the radioactivity and radio activity.  For a stream-of-consciousness MC whose consciousness is more finely attuned than most could hope for, I imagine Woods’ brain is his clean room.  Let’s hope he keeps scribbling away.  We may “get no answers,” but at least the questions are less haunting when we face them together. – BrokeMC

The truth is, you want to see Promiseland for the live show. For the tear-yourself-apart, no-limits performance of Australian-born vocalist Johann Rashid. The industrial-techno instrumentals sound like they could come from a secret warehouse rave on the edge of the city, but Promiseland’s vocals are straight from the realm of punk. Collectively, it makes for an intense, nightmarish experience, which coupled with the performance aspect, becomes simply jarring – in a good way. You can see Promiseland next at Mercury Lounge on May 24, opening for Rey Pila alongside The Muckers. – Cameron Carr

On her fall 2017 EP growing pains, Clara Joy makes true productions of seemingly lo-fi bedroom recordings. “never tell” undemandingly strums through with nonchalant tape recorder charm (or maybe that’s GarageBand, who knows? What’s it matter anyway?) but a twist of a knob warps the recording slowly in and out of allignment creating a gentle sweeping tone. Likewise, the following “blow a kiss” turns bedroom minimalism into miniature pop with intertwining vocal lines and the addition of a glockenspiel type keyboard melody. Clara Joy’s music is full of these moments—little touches that make the small things important. That sense of intimacy that can make music so powerful. On May 6, see Clara Joy perform in person at The Platform as part of a teaser screening party for indie film ‘Multiverse.’ Give a listen to growing pains below. – Cameron Carr

Beginning with the stream of bubbling, delayed guitar that opens “Don’t Look, Don’t Stare” it’s immediately clear that Oh Malô has a taste for ambience. Complete with generously textural guitar work—ranging from endlessly looped arpeggios to atmospheric swells—and an airy vocal delivery, the band’s follow-up to its 2016 debut LP aims for expansive, spacious compositions. At the same time, Oh Malô plays with a bright and, at times, almost lilting feel that keeps the group’s post-rock tendencies in a clear frame of reference. Fans of other experimental-leaning alt-rock acts will feel right at home with “Young Orchard” as vocal harmonies and syncopated drums abound. “Young Orchard” is out May 4, but you can stream it in advance of its release below. Don’t miss the band’s release party at Elsewhere on May 8th. – Cameron Carr

No strangers to our blog and mag, Brooklyn punky garage rockers Thick have been building a steady following since their inception back in 2016.  Emerging from the splinters of other local favorites, the three piece has harnessed an appealing mix of wild abandon and serious determination.  Recent release “Bleeding” (streaming below) is a pedal down chugger that details how difficult life in the city can sometimes be. While the verses lay all this down with amusing lo-fi “oooh wah” background vocals, melodic riffs and sharp rhythmic accents come fast and hard. The chorus hits like a Hey-Ho Ramones fist pumping shout-along – “don’t touch me – I’m bleeding!”   Having recently completed a mini-tour of prominent ivy league colleges, the band scheduled a hometown EP release show at Elsewhere on 5/24 appearing with Gymshorts, Chorizo and Lost Boy. The band is also scheduled to appear during the Northside Festival on 6/7. – Dave Cromwell