NYC’s Spooky and the Bear is a dark-synth/ambient duo, with a penchant for surprisingly catchy tunes. The group just dropped their first multi-track release, "So Long Ago," an EP that marries beatmaker Marco Dianese’s sometimes-trippy-always-engaging beats with Nina Varner’s smoky vocals. The result is 5 tracks of offbeat electro-dance pop. Stream "Water" off the new EP below and see them live at Nolita’s Epistrophy on December 17th. – Olivia Sisinni

In anticipation for her new LP, Old Ghost, debuting in February, Brooklyn-based songwriter Renata Zeiguer (ex Cantina)has decided to pull back the curtain on the forthcoming album and release the first single. Old Ghost’s second track, now made playable on her Bandcamp page is "Bug" is a suprisingly haunting song inspired by Kafka’s six-legged monster. The single hints at the themes we might expect from the upcoming album, like nostalgia spurned by external places, and contending with the internal ghosts we may struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Listen to "Bug" streaming below, and catch Renata Zeiguer at Union Pool on 2/23.-Olivia Sisinni

“Now I’m snowed in while you’re out there in California. Stuck here thinking about how you said I did nothing for you,” Alyse Vellturo sings on pronoun’s “Snowed In // There’s No One New Around You.” Though it may be a little early to expect snow, the sentiment in pronoun’s music is always relevant. The Brooklyn artist captures the emotional sincerity of earlier work by acts like Death Cab For Cutie and Tegan and Sara, mixing it with the propulsive, dance-inspired back beats that have characterized both group’s more recent output. On December 10^th, pronoun will perform at Zone One at Elsewhere for Silent Night Fest, hosted by Vellturo’s own Sleep Well Records. While the odds of getting snowed in at that point are slim, pronoun can be counted on for an emotionally stirring performance. – Cameron Carr, photo by Sofie Vasquez

Pinc Louds always seems to be doing something just a little different than what you’d expect. On paper it’s not that unusual: an acoustic guitar based indie rock group. But in practice it can be tough to describe: there’s a sudden burst of strumming, a feathery falsetto-type voice, psyched out doo-wop backing vocal loops. Performances are no exception, if you’re lucky, you may have even caught at least one member of Pinc Louds performing in a subway (they frequent the Delancey/Essex St station). Promising a night full of puppets, scavenger hunts, a “Santa Claus confession room,” and all sorts of other holiday cheer, Pinc Louds will perform full band at Bizarre Bushwick on December 8th for what the band has dubbed it’s Christmas Tentacular. – Cameron Carr

No Vacation appeared seemingly out of nowhere with viral success in the lo-fi community. And then the band disappeared. After some buzz, signing with Topshelf Records, and moving from San Francisco to Brooklyn group has finally returned with a new lineup and EP. Intermission refines the beachy indie rock of the band’s early releases into a hazy and cohesive dream pop statement, matching oozy synths and echoing guitars with sticky melodies and peppy drum beats. No Vacation will celebrate Intermission’s release with a debut New York show on December 9^th at Trans-Pecos. – Cameron Carr

If you’re still not fully enveloped in the holiday spirit, then fear not—Milk Was A Bad Choice has the showcase for you. Complete with Christmas DJ sets, festive drinks, and even an ugly sweater contest, the holiday party showcase is the perfect event for anyone who wants to stop being a Grinch. The stacked lineup includes local psychedelic garage-rockers Locus Pocus, a solo set by Zachary Vito of the Bay Area’s very own Union Pacific, and a special headlining performance by the disco-infused alt rock quintet Kid Bloom from L.A. – Lilly Milman

Drop by The Milk Bar on December 6th at 8 pm for the holiday party to end all others, and until then, stream Locus Pocus’s new single “I’d Be Your Woman” below.

Husbandry is the name given for mankind’s domestication of plants and animals, but make no mistake–there is hardly anything tame about the thundering NYC heavy band who takes the same name. The feral four-piece lays down surprisingly melodic post-hardcore tracks with deliciously jagged edges. Following up 2016’s LP, Fera, the band is slated to release Bad Weeds Never Die, an EP that promises soaring vocals and angular riffage delivered with the effortless skill and aplomb the band has become known for.  Keep your eyes peeled for the new record hitting the digital realm tomorrow, but if you’re frothing over the idea of scoring the new tracks a day early, catch the band tonight (11.30) at Brooklyn Bazaar for their album release show. Check out the video for their new single Elder Spencer Deery streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

Inkmouth is a self-described Post Dad-Rock band hailing from NY. While the genre is, of course, a tongue-in-cheek descriptor, it’s not too far of a cry from the truth: the band has some heavy roots in early 90’s alt that your dad could probably get down with (assuming you are in your twenties). But Inkmouth expresses it in a fresh way that seems to be marked also by the punk/emo music of the early aughts. Their latest EP, The Problem With, is five tracks worth of sometimes dancey, sometime angsty tunes that manage to always feel genuine. Check out "Bad Criminal" off the EP streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

Gingerlys‘ self-titled debut album, out on November 17th, showcases a band delivering on the promise of their earlier work. When we last featured their 7" EP “Jumprope” here on The Deli, we were impressed enough with the group’s fast paced indie pop. The new work, however, takes everything a step further in both the songwriting and production departments.  Lead track and first video release “Turtledoves” (streaming below) captures that wistful sense of emotion felt on discovering something new and beautiful.  The pacing is quick, with drums clattering underneath an overall catchy melodiousness created by well orchestrated layers of vocals, guitars and keyboards.  Tasty guitar lines emerge into the mix as the dreamy female vocals pull you into a world where “you were never meant to wander.”  The rising pitch of the vocal melody on key lines “I knew you” and “you choose to” will appeal to big dream pop fans (like us). The full album is available for streaming here. – Dave Cromwell

Goodfight’s Florida Room packs all the sunshine-y goodness you’d imagine for an album with that title. The indie pop group’s latest effort is 8 tracks of upbeat tunes that manage to be fun, sweet, and earnest, but never saccharine. Listen to the title track off the new LP streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

Human People’s Haley Livingston has a growl to her voice, something a little sinister. In the band’s latest video for new single “Radiator Water” the truth is revealed: she’s a vampire. In less than two and a half minutes she sucks the life out of two of her bandmates, turning them from goth to prep before a final brunchtime faceoff. Following two strong EPs introducing the band, “Radiator Water” marks Human People’s return with a quick cut of spirited garage punk. It’s the first track from the group’s upcoming album, though no title or release date has been announced yet. Check out the video below. – Cameron Carr

Hearken back to the already long-gone days of mid-2000s alt-rock with the new EP from Cale and the Gravity Well, Creation Myths. With eclectic instrumentation that sounds like the synth-tinged soft jams of Yeasayer or the Magnetic Fields, the five tracks of the EP showcase the production of Modest Mouse’s Jim Fairchild, as well as the knowledge of Sun Kil Moon engineer Mike Cresswell. Cale and the Gravity Well strike a balance between thunderous rock and soothing indie dream pop, especially on the track "Zambia", which you can stream below. The band’s toured throughout the fall to promote Creation Myths; they’ll play their final show of the tour on December 11th at PIANOS in the Lower East Side. – Will Sisskind