The two teaser tracks from the forthcoming Hand Grenade Job album highlight the band’s minimalist punk sound. Eerie, mystical, and somewhat mournful, the tracks feature the unusual instrumentation and solemn vocals that defined earlier HGJ releases. Often vocally monotone, but always harmonically tonal, the music is evocative, and pleasing for the ear.

Here’s “July” from the album Devotionals, set to be released February 22nd.

-Written by Michael Dranove

NYC psych rockers Steady Sun‘s latest single, which we are premiering below, bears the aquatic title "Benthos," a term used to describe the flora and fauna found on the bottom of a body of water. Music and water have many things in common, in particular a fluid, "streamy" nature. But the concept of underwater recalls an extra set of attributes (like "dreamy, calm, slow-moving") that perfectly fit the profile of a mellow, psychedelic song. The track, with its plodding pace and dreamy atmosphere, certainly keeps faith to its title. Dylan Nowik’s warm falsetto draws semi-unintelligible but arresting melodies, while ghostly strings and backing vocals float in a pool of reverb, creating a sonic environment that’s as surreal as it is serene. If you dig this tune, check out the quintet’s 2016 EP ‘FLORA‘ and don’t miss their upcoming show at Arlene’s Grocery on March 10, opening for Indigo King. Check out also their previous single "Life At One Twenty Two," at the bottom of this page.

Citris might just sound like what their name implies—sweet, but with a serious bite. The Brooklyn-based band melds psych elements with the grit of mid-90’s grunge to create tunes that kick, but are immediately compelling. You can catch Citris live at Arlene’s Grocery 2/21 as part of their month residency alongside Caretaker, Wreath, Itamar, and Jak the Lizard, but also be sure to keep your eyes peeled for their new LP dropping 2/24.-Olivia Sisinni

With soulful vocals and mezmorizing instrumentals, Bronx-based Maxine Ashley, serves up a slice of 90’s R&B heaven. Her latest EP, Paranoid, is five-tracks worth of warm, sultry tunes with some serious old-school vibes, but Ashley delivers confidence and swagger that are all her own. Keep your eyes on this girl, because we’d hedge are bets that she’s going places. Stream the title track from the new EP below.-Olivia Sisinni

Deli Readers!

The results are in for our year-end Best Emerging New England Indie Rock Artist poll.  The popular vote has elected Tall Teenagers from Providence, RI as our 2016 Deli Readers’ champions for the Indie Rock/Pop category.  They are a name we’ve been hearing a lot this past year and we are excited to see what 2017 has in store for them.  We would also like to give a shout-out to Boston garage-rockers Mokita for giving them a run for their money.

In addition, the points accumulated through votes cast by our panel of jurors, and a third position in the readers’ poll, crowned XR Tabs and their brand of experimental indie-pop as the Best of New England in this category. Check out their new single "Wet Fire for Edison the Unclean" and see what all the hype is about.

As always, we’d like to thank all of our artists, jurors, and readers for participating in this year’s polls.  Stay tuned and vote for all of our remaining genre polls! -Brian Varneke

	Edgar Clinks		1%	5 votes
	Emerald Comets		2%	10 votes
	Kal Marks		0%	3 votes
	Laundry Day		0%	4 votes
	Mokita		34%	152 votes
	Oldsoul		2%	13 votes
	Rick Rude		0%	3 votes
	Tall Teenagers		41%	184 votes
	The Right Offs		0%	1 vote
	The Snaz		0%	2 votes
	Wolfmen of Mars		1%	6 votes
	XR Tabs		13%	60 votes

Our Best of Austin Poll for Emerging Indie Pop Aritsts ended recently and here’s a summary of the results.

We already celebrated Yuma for winning the Readers’ Poll.

Trio Summer Salt was the winners of the overall chart, the one that combines the readers’ votes with the one cast by our "scene experts," who picked the list of nominees we pasted at the bottom of this post.

Summer Salt has been on tip of the tongue of anyone who had the chance to see the trio of best friends in 2016.  The equivalent of audio soma, Summer Salt’s musical essence is unobtrusive oldies that might sound like if Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson had been left on a deserted cay to write music for eternity. The trio’s balmy bossanova-influenced tropical tracks are indulgent and entrancing which is why Summer Salt captured the most votes out of our  music industry poll on ‘Best Emerging Indie Rock Artist of 2016’.

Big thumbs up also to Tele Novella and Sweet Spirit, who tied on second place in the jurors votes department, and Magic Rockers of Texas, second place in the Readers’ Poll and 4th overall.

	Darkbird		4%	7 votes
	Hidden Ritual		0%	1 vote
	Hovvdy		1%	2 votes
	Magic Rockers of Texas		9%	13 votes
	Mean Jolene		0%	1 vote
	Slomo Drags		0%	1 vote
	Sour Notes		0%	1 vote
	Star Parks		2%	3 votes
	Summer Salt		1%	2 votes
	Sweet Spirit		0%	0 votes
	Tele Novella		2%	4 votes
	TOMA		2%	4 votes
	Yuma		72%	104 votes

NYC’s buzzworthy soul ensemble, 79.5, channels a legendary girl-group energy in their new single "Boy Don’t Be Afraid". The second single off of their upcoming album Predictions, the group combines impeccable vocal harmonies, subtly smooth grooves, and their unique modern flavor, to create a sound that embodies the musical culture of New York City.  They’ll be playing live 3/31 at the Bowery Ballroom alongside Chicano Batman, and The Shacks, but in the meantime, stream them below.-Olivia Sisinni 

Brooklyn-based artist Birch‘s new single, "Pick Sides" arrives at an exceptionally divisive point in our country’s history. While most people find themselves plagued with a robust outpouring of facebook fights focused on politics, social constructs, or the full gamut in between, Michelle Birsky–the synth-pop artist behind the musical project–turns her attention to the binary ways of thinking that create the false dichotomies that divide us. The single proves to be a bit more pop-minded than her previous releases, but the gravity of the subject blends seamlessly into her infectious melodies, and truly showcases her songwriting prowess. You can catch Birch live at the Mercury Lounge 2/25 alongside, Controller and Madeline Mondrala, but also click the play button to stream her below.-Olivia Sisinni

Brooklyn-based band, Wild Arrows, crafts indie pop tunes with a seriously dark streak that feels a lot like 80’s goth-pop heaven. Their latest release, "Dark Me" is no exception, combining clean, minimalist beats with harrowing lyricism to create a single that’s as striking as it is catchy. The band is gearing up to release a new album April 14th, and we can only imagine it’s stocked with the same flavor of dreamy synths, moody lyricism and the glittering transe-like aesthetic that we’ve come to love them for. You can catch the band live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg 3/29 alongside Minus the Bear and Bayonne, but before then take a listen to Wild Arrows below.-Olivia Sisinni

Here’s a recap of our Best of NYC Indie Pop Poll, which ended last Friday and highlighted some truly talented emerging locals.

We already celebrated Zuli, winner of the Readers’ Poll, here. 

Ex Reyes, the project of New Orleans songwriter Mikey Freedom Hart, was the winner of the overall chart (and therefore of the "Best of NYC" title for this category – this chart adds to the readers’ votes the points cast by our scene "experts," who nominated all the artists in the list). Rather impressively, this band has been consistently churning out quality, extremely sophisticated, soulful and somewhat loungy tracks that reveal the rich musical background of its singer/songwriter and the city he hails from. Check out the video for their break out single "Bad Timing" below.

Other artists who did really well in the poll are Sam Evian (same juror score as Ex Reyes, less readers votes), Surf Rock is Dead (3rd place overall and 2nd in the Readers’ Poll), and Plastic Picnic (3rd in the Readers’ Poll) – check out their tracks, streaming below.

Find the full list of the Indie Pop Category finalist at the bottom of this post.

	Crying		2%	7 votes
	Cigarettes After Sex		2%	8 votes
	Ex Reyes		1%	6 votes
	Forth Wanderers		1%	6 votes
	Gates		0%	3 votes
	The Lemon Twigs		2%	9 votes
	Pavo Pavo		1%	4 votes
	Plastic Picnic		13%	47 votes
	Sam Evian		1%	5 votes
	Soccer Mommy		11%	41 votes
	Surf Rock Is Dead		17%	61 votes
	Yoke Lore		10%	36 votes
	Zuli		33%	116 votes

Ladies and gentlemen, if you wonder who came up with the term “Nu-Wop Dreamsauce,” we can assure you it wasn’t late Supreme Court judge Antonin Scalia (R.I.P.). The words, instead, are used by NYC trio PEP to describe their Doo-Woop influenced vintage pop. These ladies just released a new single entitled "Get Physical," in anticipation of their debut album, to be released later this year. It sounds like some African influences made their way inside that ‘dreamsauce" – we likey! The band will be performing at Rough Trade on March 16. It promises to be a fun night.

Hard beats, hard lyrics, hard flow; Noochie’s raw, minimalist sound reflects the rapper’s street tough charisma. With songs focusing on his DC heritage, Noochie hopes to be the next DC rap sensation. After grabbing some national exposure with the music video for the song “Gutta”, Noochie is optimistic, telling an interviewer in XXL, “I’m going to be the next one. When he walk into the room that’s him right there, he got it. Like Neo in The Matrix, un-$#%&-witable.”

Here’s the music video for Noochie’s “Gutta”.

-Written by Michael Dranove