Since winning The Deli SF’s Artist of the Month poll last year, the fuzzy Bay Area indie rockers Talkie have been hard at work on their forthcoming album Fundamental Things, slotted to be released on April 27th. The Deli is excited to announce the premiere of the single “Costa Rica” (streaming below), a catchy and quirky track that we just can’t get enough of. The strength of this song is in its deceptive simplicity; meaning, the way the four-piece can make interesting guitar parts, tight percussion, and smooth lyricism all sound so easy and carefree. But, that’s just Talkie in a nutshelll. Stay tuned for the release on April 27th, and make sure to mark June 9th on your calendar so you can see Talkie take Bottom of the Hill. – Lilly Milman 

There are few words that can describe the intimate, synth-psych sounds of Oakland’s Meernaa. Or, perhaps, too many: fresh, relevant, relaxing, soulful—maybe, at times, even solipsistic. But these only seem to scratch the surface. So, let’s just focus on their newest video, “Wildest Eyes” (streaming below), which is also the first single to be released off their forthcoming debut EP Strange Life. Both track and video alike soothe, while something stirs under the surface; there’s an anxiousness that can’t quite be pinned down. An urgency that pushes itself to the forefront of front woman Carly Bond’s jazzy vocals, and then pulls away just as quickly as it came. It’s exciting, it’s new, and it’s Oakland doing what it does best: inspiring innovative art. The rest of the EP will be out in June, which just can’t come soon enough. – Lilly Milman

Our most faithful readers might remember NYC electro-pop duo Sofi Tukker on the cover of 2016 electronic issue of The Deli Magazine. Well, the band recently landed a sweet deal with Apple for the use of an excerpt of their song Batshit in the latest iPhone 8 ad (which is literally everywhere these days). The guys just released their debut album Treehouse and will celebrate it with a live performance at Brooklyn Steel on April 21st.

Lily and Horn Horse is a NYC based avant-pop duo featuring a singer (Lily Konigsberg) and a percussionist / brass player (Horn Horse, aka Matt Norman). Except, the brass instruments are so filtered and effected that they often sounds more like synths, if not… horses. Real synths and drum machines are also programmed in their tracks adding texture and occasional bleeps and squeaks. In 2017 alone, they released two purposefully unglued-sounding records featuring more than 20 tracks each. Their songs sound like brilliant semi-developed sketches, built on quirky, sparse electronic foundations and airy vocals following strange melodic paths. SF kings of quick Deerhoof took notice and asked them to open for their fall tour last year. They are now back in NYC and will perform at Baby’s All Right on April 27th, opening for Half Waif’s Record Release party – do not miss either.

On his new EP entitled Refugee, Brooklyn by way of Tel Aviv artist O Mer deconstructs genres in a way that allows him to bend electronica with both soulful and eastern influences. The EP features the breakout single “Now I’m Alive,” as well as tracks that have only previously been performed live, like “The Veil” (streaming below), a song that can most accurately be described as meditative. The EP channels themes of displacement and disorientation that arise from living in a foreign country.

The Revolution, National Sawdust’s monthly appointment with emerging NYC artists, returns on Saturday, April 28th with three artists perfectly complementing each other. 

Talented soul pop and visual artist Brittany Campbell, who graced the cover of what will probably be remembered as the weirdest cover of our print magazine (back in 2016), will be the main attraction of the night, joined on stage by brass band Aberdeen‘s dynamic and cinematic instrumentals, and by Bianca Muñiz‘s delicate but somewhat troubled soul ballads. 

Tickets and info can be found here, check out a YouTube compilation with two videos per artist, streaming below.

Imagine dipping Black Sabbath into a steaming pot of psychedelia and you’re pretty close to the sound of Sun Voyager. On 2015’s Lazy Daze – EP the band made use of heavy metal style riffs to wade through thick servings of reverb and distortion to occasionally shoegazey effect. Their debut full-length, Seismic Vibes, looks ready to amp up the psychedelics and deliver an even denser wash of sound and near droning rhythms. With a timely 4-20 release, the trio seems to have no problem with the psych-rock association. You can celebrate with the band when Sun Voyager plays a release show that night at Baby’s All Right, supported by Stuyedeyed. – Cameron Carr

Canadian songwriter Ben Caplan’s first single from his new album Old Stock (due out June 15th) is dark, witty, and energetic. Those are three adjectives that wouldn’t normally make sense together, but in context, "Widow Bride" is all three. There is a sense of mystery in the eastern European chordal structure, the lyrics are smart and interesting, and the driving arrangement ties whole track together. Dynamic and confident, "Widow Bride" shows Caplan’s songwriting talent and highlights a gorgeous assortment of textures. –Geena Kloeppel

There is a delicate subtlety to Foxanne’s songwriting that sets the indie-folk trio’s music apart from peers. While the light guitar work and emphasis on vocal melodies comes from a folk tradition, the minimal and airy arrangements that simmer behind Chelsea Gohd’s voice fall more in line with acts like Daughter or Julien Baker. The band is preparing to release its debut studio EP halfling on April 13th and the leading singles pair gentle finger-picking with rolling floor toms that leave room for Gohd’s voice to shine in front. You can catch Foxanne live when the band plays Rose Gold the night of the release along with Andy Cook, who has his own EP out that day. – Cameron Carr

There’s something very genuine that comes across in the debut single “Space” (streaming below) by the new Oakland post-punk outfit Normies. Besides being easy listening, the track is well-crafted from top to bottom, without losing the lo-fi appeal. The vocals rise and fall alongside the driving guitar parts, all while maintaining a dreamy appeal. This track is a strong start for the three-piece, and leaves us excited for what’s next. You can find them tomorrow (April 13th) at Eli’s Mile High Club, alongside Freak No Hitter, Scrim, and Screaming. – Lilly Milman

NYC’s romance with Post Punk is not over yet, and we ain’t gonna complain about it. The seminal movement from the 80’s that triggered the first wave of creative yet minimalist DIY rock already influenced a slew of break-out local artists including Interpol, The Rapture, Liars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Parquet Court among others. In the last few months, quintet Bodega (previously known as Bodega Bay) has made progress to potentially add their name to this list, gaining a lot of attention both in the city and at SXSW with their super-fun live performances enhanced by musical wild card Nikki Belfiglio’s, an effervescent backing vocalist that also plays a range of percussive instruments. The trademark of the band’s stripped down but driven sound, however, lies with Ben Hozie’s semi spoken-word style of singing. The band just unveiled this video for single "Can’t Knock the Hustle" and announced the released of their debut album Endless Scroll, scheduled for a Jun 1st release. Bodega also landed an opening gig for five Franz Ferdinand shows in April (including the Brooklyn Steel date on the 15th) and will tour Europe in May. Buzz alert, indeed!

New York’s Liquor Radio tastefully blends indie-rock with dashes of Americana to create a sound that’s quite their own. Their sound is energetic yet controlled; the band’s rhythm section is somewhat dialed back, with melancholy violin and piano leading many of their songs. Further, Liquor Radio indulges in intricate vocal harmonies, rounding out an intriguing and assertive sound. Liquor Radio is playing Mercury Lounge on April 15th, with Juliet Garrett. Check out "Bottles of Yourself" below! – Ethan Ames