The debut EP release Strawberry by Pale Lungs—a four-piece hailing from Murfreesboro, Tennessee—is a tour de force of emo indie rock. It’s lyrically sound with songwriting comparable to Brand New, in addition to having iron-clad arrangements. The EP achieves a sometimes dreamy and lush sound without abandoning tight percussion and guitar parts. It moves slowly but with a definite direction, giving the listener adequate time to soak in every song before moving on to the next. They are currently on the tail-end of a tour, with stops left in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. – Lilly Milman

Listen to our favorite track “Sanctuaries” streaming below.

When it comes to the stripped down style of Nashville’s Ariel Bui, less is definitely more. Her 2016 self-titled LP is a look into who she is as an artist, offering edgy folk-twinged tracks driven by the haunting vocals of the singer-songwriter. Her mesmerizing alto is unique for the Nashville scene; she doesn’t belt out soulful choruses or sing with an exaggerated country twang (despite having track titles like “To All the Cowboys” and “Moon Over Kentucky.”) There is a relaxed quality to this album, but emotionally it still progresses with the honesty of a country album. Ariel Bui isn’t trying to prove she’s the best or brightest star. She’s just bearing her soul and hoping it’s enough. (Spoiler alert: it is.) She has three local shows coming up: the Mad Valley Lodge on August 19th, Radio Cafe on the 23rd, and Cobra on September 8th. – Lilly Milman

Listen to our favorite track “Sycamore Tree” streaming below.

With Teletextile’s “The Lark” (streaming below), it’s easy for listeners to fall for the alternative pop sound without even realizing that it’s being created by a harp. That should be expected from multi-instrumentalist Pamela Martinez, though. In her most recent 2016 EP, she makes you feel all sorts of ways with an array of orchestral arrangements. The five-track project moves around quite a bit, from serene harp accompanied by soft vocals to stormier sections featuring brass and electronic sounds. Single “The Lark” (streaming) expands that sound further by introducing flutes, trumpets, and percussion to bring forth a more soothing orchestral environment, while “Fan The Spark” creates intensity, with dynamic percussion for a more avant style. Teletextile is performing at Union Pool on August 15th at 8PM, alongside Charlie Looker Ensemble and GABI. – Pearse Devlin

Chicago’s Kevin Krauter is definitely an indie folk artist to watch. His EP “Changes” features upbeat indie folk, while also tackling a songwriter style extremely well. “Fantasy Theme” (streaming below) in particular brings forth a sad, acoustic folk style over concisely poetic lyrics, reimagining a better time in life as a symbolic place or location. His voice is soft and comforting, a prevailing style throughout the entire EP. You can check out Krauter’s performance next weekend on August 12th at the Hideout alongside Parent at 9PM. – Pearse Devlin

When it comes to the local NYC scene, Bryant Park’s Emerging Music Festival (EMF) is the place to be. Returning for its third year, the festival is a hotbed for community and creativity. As the city’s only exclusively local festival, EMF is a can’t miss opportunity for everyone interested in keeping up to date with the scene. And the best part is that entrance is completely free of charge (and there isn’t even a line to get in!) The two day event will take place on August 18th and 19th, and will feature bands like Landlady, 79.5, Rips, and more. Until then, listen to The Deli’s playlist of all the performers streaming below. – Lilly Milman 

Junk Boys are not being modest in their name, they’re being honest. The NYC-based garage rock group is a no-frills act. With rough and relentless guitars, vocals that reek of cigarette-smoke, and a (dangerously) LA sound, they bring you the best of rock music. Junk Boys’ breakout LP tracks from 2016 like "Arizona Nights" and "Cheap" are ruckus and repetitive–pulling out no new tricks, but daring you to play it loud. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so be sure to catch these garage gems playing Baby’s All Right on August 29th. -Allie Miller

At first, it comes as a surprise that a band as traditionally folksy as Wet Mut could come from New York. However, a closer look at their new single “Girl from the North Country” (streaming below) reveals unconventional elements like scratching, slow guitars and broken male-female harmonies. These sounds belong somewhere between the freak-folk groups of New England and mainstream complainers like Sufjan Stevens. By reimagining classic folk music with New York influences, Wet Mut saves themselves from making that tired Coachella folk-pop that you don’t want to hear—instead, their original tracks quietly challenge with a sound they’ve let sour just enough. All Bandcamp proceeds from their LP Nightlight are going to a Providence-based anti-fracking organization. –Allie Miller

The New York trio VHS Collection’s newest single “Fire” (streaming below) captures all the best aspects of alternative rock, pop, and electronic music, combining catchiness and rich soundscape, thanks to the production of Chris Zane (who has previously worked with Passion Pit and many others top notch indie artists). The track, comparable to high energy summer hits from acts like Bastille, shows the undeniable chemistry of the three longtime friends. VHS Collection just finished off a summer tour, and is gearing up to release a full-length record in the coming months. – Lilly Milman

It’s almost as if you took the vocals of Heart’s Nancy Wilson, or Blondie’s Debbie Harry, and combined that with the musicality of Hole; this sound, ironically, not only differs from the self-described “Lazy-Punk” sound of new NYC band, What Would Tilda Swinton Do, but may also be cutting the band short: the band possesses more energy and expression than what they’re giving themselves. Single “Bikerbraut” is powerful from the start, and more dynamic than the typical punk track; with shrilled, high-pitched vocals and descriptive lyrics consistent throughout, the song only goes from intense to haywire as the guitars, bass, and drums get sloppier, punk-ier, and heavier. You can check out the track below, and see the band perform at Pianos on August 13th, at 10PM. – Pearse Devlin

Remember when it was 2013 and all your favorite bands, TY Segall, King Tuff, and Ariel Pink, couldn’t stop talking about Halloween? Demure For Sure’s latest single "It’s Magic" (from LP Tie-Dye Shadow) is a trip down memory lane for those who can relate. The NYC-based artist blends psychedelia, and art-rock ’80s rock together in a new song that is nothing short of spell-binding. If you aren’t entertained when Zach de Sorbo sings "Talisman’s and amulets/I wear them all the time," (following a xylophone solo), just stick around for the the voice morphing and witch laughs. Alice Cooper would be proud. – Allie Miller

On August 12th, the Hideout will be hosting two impressive hometown performances, one of them being Parent, a mellow bedroom pop project from Chicago. The band’s most recent work is the track “I Tried”, released on Bandcamp and Soundcloud last month. The song is their most melancholic work yet, with droopy guitars and electronic piano floating around over the depressing lyrics about a suicide attempt. Check out the track below, and catch the band’s performance with Kevin Krauter next weekend. – Pearse Devlin

Parquet Court‘s frontman Andrew Savage has always drawn on influences from the South, but now he’s using his new solo project A. Savage to turn up the Western heat. While Parquet Court made use of twangy guitars and Savage’s rough, cowboy-like vocals, his upcoming solo album Thawing Dawn uses pointed track titles like "Buffalo Calf Road Woman" and "Wild Wild Horses" to send a clearly Western, nostalgic image. The first single "Winter in the South" (streaming below) retains the mystery of Parquet Court, but is also more organic, rumbling, and lonesome. Texas tour dates begin this week and Thawing Dawn will be out on October 13th. – Allie Miller