Embracing at once gentleness, distortion, reverb and feedback, NYC trio Wild Pink crafts dreamo-pop that’s enjoyable and varied. And in case you are wondering what "dreamo-pop" is, it’s dream pop with traces of emo in it (you should have gotten that one!). After two EPs released in 2015 and 2016, the band dropped their debut, self titled full length earlier in 2017, and it’s a record of rare songwriting consistency. They have two pretty solid local shows coming up, one at Baby’s All Right on April 18, and one at BK Bazaar on May 20th. Check out single "Great Apes," streaming below

For old-school punk purists, Night Birds might just be the dirty, crunchy, return-to-form punk rock you’ve been craving. Taking cues from punk/hardcore favorites of the ’80s, Night Birds put their own delicious surf spin on their tunes, delivering compact, high-energy hits that feel inspired rather than regurgitated. And with names like "Born to Die in Suburbia" and "Mutiny at Muscle Beach" how can you possibly resist a listen? Check out Night Birds streaming below and catch them live at St. Vitus on 4/06 alongside the Marked Men and Honey. – Olivia Sisinni

Simple guitar chords and slow, rusty drums are the first elements that catch the ear in New Jersey’s Bucolic‘s single "Slow Words" (streaming below). But it is Seth Carpenter’s confident, pressing vocals, drenched in reverb, that really hone in on the ambient nature of the music. Similarly, the six-minute "Great Miles Old," punctuated by a recurring, shimmery guitar riff, lifts us into Bucolic’s sweeping, woodsy world with ease. The music is minimalistic but takes ownership of the hollowed-out textures, so that each sound in the recordings has room to breathe. Listen to Bucolic, and inhale deeply. – Geena Kloeppel

Megan Talay — a.k.a. Talay — never fails to put on a good punk rock show. She’s captured that electric energy into the music video for her song "Parents’ House", a witty track about trying to live an adult life while living in a childhood home. To celebrate the release of the video, Talay will perform with Narc Twain and Mae Capozzi at Arlene’s Grocery in the Lower East Side tomorrow night at 8:30 pm. If you can’t wait to see the video, though, you can stream it below. – Will Sisskind

We covered Brooklyn musician Lily Konigsberg’s music before, since she is involved with art punk (bordering on no wave) trio Palberta. However, considering that band’s strictly electric/percussive sound, we hadn’t realized Lily had released several solo electronic records. In 2016 she released two records outside Palberta, one uder the moniker Lily and the Horn Horse and the ‘kawai that claps‘ EP under her own name. The former is a collaboration with Matt Norman (aka Horn Horse), and sounds like an eccentric pastiche of jazz and DIY experimental madness. The solo EP, on the other hand, abandons the extreme edges of her previous discography for a poppier approach, although without betraying her signature quirkiness and DIY approach. The record also introduces us to the gentle version of her voice, something miles apart from Palberta’s grunts, and to a songwriter with a noteworthy talent for catchy melodies. You can check out Lily’s avant pop at Union Pool on April 5th.

Introducing an EP with a 12 second recording of the infamous Casio demo tune is definitely an unconvential choice, but Kill Altars is far from being a conventional band. Their latest release, no self help is driven by thick, primative tom-toms, and features the intesection of fuzz and noise, colliding against half-sung vocals that sound as if they’re edging closer and closer toward a total mental meltdown. The release is a trippy, psych/noise freakout daring you to push it over the edge. Take a listen to the EP below, but behold the band live for yourselves at Union Pool 4/8.-Olivia Sisinni

Billing themselves as a therapeutic cure to “Tired all the Time” (TATT) syndrome, TATT’s edgeless tracks seem in many ways to mimic the emotionally dulling effects of anti-depressants. There are no snarling guitars, extended drum solos, or soaring Bono vocals on TATT’s new release PLEASE STOP, the stimulation from the music is intentionally blunted. However, beneath the smoothed out “post-pop” is an attempt to tap into deep despair, fitting for a band that aims to, “calm and sooth the existential stress of life”.

All in all, a highly original release from the Baltimore newcomers.  

-Written by Michael Dranove

This month, LEA (FKA Lea Cappelli)—a NYC-based artist crafting synth-pop with a sultry, dark and soulful twist–droppeda new video (see below) for a song titled “Such A Lovely Thing”. The video combines her smokey, low-register vocals and artfully minimalistic instrumentation, with gorgeous black and white visuals and movement that are meant to conjure responses to the ideals of, as the artist puts it, “femininity and fortitude,” and gender fluidity — major themes of the track. “Such a Lovely Thing,” however remains only a first taste of what’s to come: LEA is gearing up to drop her EP "Fever Dream" some time in the coming months. If you’re looking to hear more from the artist be sure to check out her set on April 12th at Footlight as she performs alongside Smoke & Sugar, Hippiehaus and Laney Lynx. – Olivia Sisinni

On Saturday, April 22nd, NYC soul singer Elle Winston will perform at National Sawdust in Brooklyn as a part of the emerging performance series The Revolution. This show is sponsored by The Deli NYC. The series highlights "Brooklyn & Harlem based artists and musicians that not only represent the core of independent pop culture in 2017 but who currently stand in the breeding ground of evolution within their genre." Emerging singer songwriter (and film maker) LUECK will be opening a bill that will be headlined by Los Angeles’ talented guitarist/songwriter Emily Elbert. – Geena Kloeppel

From the first pluck of the banjo to the delicate, muted horn arrangement, “Outer Boroughs,” the title track on Dougmore’s debut LP expels warmth with elegant bluegrass and dreamy folk/americana arrangements. On ‘Outerboros,’ Dougmore is self-aware and his lyrics are vivd with a lucidity and assuredness that feels fresh and sincere. The album features 10 tracks that showcase his craft as a composer, songwriter, and vocalist, as well as Dougmore’s instrumental virtuosity, particularly on the banjo. The record is scheduled for a June 2 release. – Geena Kloeppel

 This Saturday, Baltimore’s favorite dance rock sons are back with at Ottobar, hosting the show and bringing their friends. The Milestones are blessing the gig with their oh-so infectious rock and roll, replete with saucy guitar riffs and gravelly vocals spilling out from the stage. Playing the night (in reverse order) will be friends of the band Luna June – a catchy melodic rock quintet from Towson, The (aforementioned) Milestones, The Fun Boys – an extremely energetic experimental garage band out of Frederick, Copper Marmalade – an experimental pop singer-songwriter hailing from Baltimore, and the openers will be Stevie Matthews’ Analog Kids – a Batlimore-based trio that plays barebones, cut-and-dried rock music.

 The night’s going to be one to remember and one not worth missing, so catch this stellar lineup of Maryland’s finest rock music at Ottobar, 8pm, 4/1. $10 advance, $12 at the door. -Jonathan Goodwin

Brooklyn garage rockers and riot grrrls THICK won an interview with The Deli through the Music Building‘s "Expose Yourself" campaign (anybody can sign up at any time for it over here). Check out the interview here and listen to the band’s single ‘Anymore" below.