We are not sure what led Dan Goldberg of The Spookfish to record his album "Black Hole" in a studio after spending ten years recording his own music in DIY fashion (according to his Bandcamp profile, the man has recorded 10 full lengths between 2010 and 2014!). Whatever the reason, the music of The Spookfish hasn’t lost one bit of its lo-fi character and charm, developing on often juxtaposed and sometimes blended elements of dream-folk and 8-bit space rock. Single ‘Everything is Moving So Fast,’ one of the few tracks with lyrics, perfectly describes the static and surreal mood of the record: "You’re standing slowly, watching it pass, everything is moving so fast." Echoes of early Flaming Lips and Sebadoh give this track a ’90s flair that is though misleading: the rest of the album is a very personal, mostly instrumental – and often quirky – take on lo-fi.

Minimalism and noise rock are two musical waves NYC has proudly fed and bred over the decades; the latest product of their fusion is GOLD MINE, a project led by drummer and vocalist Andrya Ambro of now defunct noise duo Talk Normal (which made the cover of The Deli in our 2010 Best of NYC issue). The band, performing live as a trio since 2014, will be releasing debut LP ‘Nerve’ on June 2nd, and judging from the preview track ‘Easy’ (streaming below), we are in for a suspenceful, tense, unnervingly sincere record. The record release party is scheduled for June 3rd at Alphaville.

On her 2nd full length release, DC-based Sneaks shows she is a creative tour-de-force. As the minimalist backing tracks drive the music under the oblique spoken-word metaphors, Sneaks somehow manages to make listeners forget the fact that her music has no melody, barely any harmony, a rhythm section consisting almost solely of drum tracks, and lyrics that often don’t even rhyme! There is some serious originality at work in this music, anyone able to take the sound of Devo, strip it to its bare bones and somehow keep the music enticing is worth looking out for.

-Written by Michael Dranove

With creative beats, innovative samplish and lush synth layers Brooklyn-based Prism House crafts electronic bangers that feel a bit brooding if not totally enigmatic. Their music is moody but bewitching, and takes cues from both the dance floor and the found-sound techniques of musique concrete–creating an overall sound that is at once jarringly unstable and sonically irresistable. Check out "False Future," the first track off the band’s 6-track Landfall EP streaming below, and if you are into it don’t miss their upcoming show at Alphaville on 05.04. – Olivia Sisinni

From the electric guitar hook to the soft, confident, sultry vocals, it is clear that Brooklyn’s Wilder Maker has mastered the art of caressing the ear in "New Streets." I am not hesitant to call this one of my favorite new songs- the affectionate, breathy saxophone and the breakout drums exude freshness, turning this song into a real jam. Gabriel Birnbaum has mastered the art of the chill-yet-groovy indie anthem and Katie Von Schleicher’s vocals exert peak girl-power and a refined boldness. "New Streets" is on repeat on my playlist, and it should be on yours, too. Catch the band live at Rough Trade on May 6th. – Geena Kloeppel

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

Though Ben Alessi has mostly made his name impressing audiences at some of NYC’s medium-sized venues, his music is the kind you could imagine reverberating through crowds at Governor’s Ball one day. This isn’t just because his potent mix of electropop and r&b is catchy and inventive. It’s also because his sound, mixing soulful vocals, euphoric hooks and groovy beats, is tailor-made for people looking for that elusive, heart-pumping mix of joy and sadness that only seems to surface when big music, like his, is performed to big crowds. You can listen to his latest single, "ONLY," below, and get a taste. – Henry Solotaroff-Webber

The Hum is a critically acclaimed, month-long weekly residency featuring first-time collaborative live performances from a curated line-up of NYC-based female musicians. Since the inaugural edition in April 2015, over 150 artists have participated in the series, representing a diverse array of female musicians of all ages and levels of notoriety, as well as a variety of musical genres and instruments. Presented, produced, and curated by Rachael Pazdan (Music Director at Le Poisson Rouge and LPR Presents), this small scale series has become a fixture in New York’s music community, and The Deli has been a proud sponsor of it since its inception.

In its 5th installment, The Hum will take place Mondays in May (sans Memorial Day) at Good Room [98 Meserole Ave] and on Thursday, May 25 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are now on sale, exclusively at LPR.com and at the Le Poisson Rouge box office. 

The Hum will feature over 60 female artists this May, including members of Speedy Ortiz, Cibo Matto, Au Revoir Simone, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Beverly, Sad13, Escort, and more, paired with artists including Angel Deradoorian, The Blow, Eartheater, Caroline Rose, and many others. Here’s the full schedule.

Check out below a compilation featuring a selection of the many NYC based artists involved in this event.

Color Tongue is a spacey, indie-psych rock band hailing from Brooklyn. Their latest release, Sprouts, is 8 tracks of inventive, sometimes atmospheric tracks, that while feeling expansive, ground itself with both its fun and infectious qualities. With such a myriad of different sounds coming from their latest record, we were curious to hear the band talk a little about their creative process, and of course, their gear, check out this interview on Delicious Audio. Don’t miss them live at The Knit on May 4th!

Also! Here’s a list of the band’s favorite emerging NYC bands!!! 

For those out there searching for an artist that perfectly balances the sounds of garage and psych while proudly wearing a strong blues influence on their sleeves, Brooklyn-based five-piece, God Tiny, might be exactly what the doctor ordered (think Blue Cheer but with a more friendly, modern facelift). We here at the Deli are excited to premiere the band’s latest single: "Cosmos." The track lays down grooves chock full of fuzzy garage goodness, but also offers bluesy riffs that hit like a sledgehammer (stream it below). Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for The Space Inside Your Head, the band’s new album out 5/26, and catch the band live the same day at the Knitting Factory alongside Stuyedeyed, Ghost King, and Greasy Hearts. – Olivia Sisinni  

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best alto rock songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

Have you ever wondered what the genre "alt-cherub" sounds like? Listen to Thelma to find out – these keywords are listed as the genre on her Facebook page. It’s a pretty accurate description; her sound is sparse, though at times breaking into affected drum arrangements; falsetto gliding overlapping in canons and synths building drama make sure you never feel quite at ease in Thelma’s world. The song "Peach" highlights that conundrum and puts inner turmoil into sound form, while debut album opener"If You Let It" (streaming) methodically builds itself in ways that are at once operatic and experimental. Check out Thelma live at Alphaville in Brooklyn on April 29th. – Geena Kloppel

Jackals have the reputation for being sly, wild, and dangerous, so it’s fitting that a Brooklyn-based noisy, garage-punk quintet would steal their name. With vocals that snarl, beats that kick and a delrious mashing of psych and punk aesthetics Damn Jackals deliver the type of garage rock that riles up crowds. On the band’s latest video for new single "Stop N’ Cop," singer/guitarists Beau Croxton croons his way through a surprisingly smooth melodic hook and growls through the verses with the blitzed-out filter of an am radio. This, accompanied by blistering instrumentals and visuals that reflect the playfulness of the band, make "Stop N’ Cop," a track you don’t want to sleep on. Keep your eyes peeled for the band’s new EP "That’s It" out tomorrow 4/28, and catch them live tonight at the Mercury Lounge. – Olivia Sisinni, Photo credit: Will Foster

We feel like recommending this bill of NYC based artists playing Union Pool pm May 02. Wilsen is a band led by amazing songwriter Tamsin Wilson, they were featured on the cover of our magazine a few years ago. Alpenglow, hailing from New England but now full Brooklynites, play similarly ghostly folk rock, and they do it well. Hite, on the other hand, is a new face in the local scene, and a compelling one: the solo act’s debut LP "Light of a Strange Day" is one of the most interesting releases we’ve heard this year, a sparse record filled with inspiring sonic ideas, edgy soul songwriting and a voice that’s impressively controlled and expressive. Do not miss!