What we find most intriguing about electronica and dance music is its collaborative promiscuity (which we are sure lends itself to a certain degree of its sexual variety as well, but we have that in many other musical genres already!). DJs and electronic artists are very prone to remix or appear on tracks written by other, likeminded colleagues, so much so that in some cases it becomes very complicated to understand who wrote what and who simply acted as a guest (Soundcloud should really figure out a way to make that more clear). NYC producer abbi press belongs to this scene (check out her Soundcloud playlist called "COLLABS" for more about this), but her own material veers more towards the ambient/chill/downtempo realm, with excursions in more moody and atmospheric territories. Her latest single ‘Wait’ (streaming) showcases her expressive soprano paired with production ability both in the programming and arrangement departments. She’ll be performing live at Shea Stadium on January 28.

Well there are a lot of angry people out there these days, which bodes well for industrial rock, the more radical and abrasive branch of electronic music (for the uninitiated, Nine Inch Nails and Ministry were the genre’s brightest shining stars in the ’90s, but if you want to dig deep into it, you’ll have to look at mitteleuropean bands like Einstürzende Neubauten and The Young Gods, among others).  NYC duo Uniform plays a rather uncompromising version of the genre, with relentless drum machines, uber-fuzzy guitars that flirt with thrash metal, and distorted vocals. They just released "The Killing of America", their second single from their upcoming full-length, ‘Wake In Fright,’ described as "an exploration of self-medication, painted in the colors of war." For those in need to a cathartic, anger-releasing moment, catching this band live at Brooklyn Bazaar on February 9th might just do it.

spookyghostboy may not be all that scary, but there’s certainly an otherworldly quality to his music. The project of Nashville-based Austin Thomas, spookyghostboy’s soft indie rock has a spectral, lingering quality to it–inspiring reflection and, perhaps, the ghosts of the past to float out of the woodwork. With etheral vocals, and unadorned guitar playing, Thomas’s sound is simple, but effective, and commands attention just from its bold earnestness. Listent to spookyghostboy streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni

This Saturday January 9th 2017, Big Thief and issue 49 of The Deli (which features them on the cover) will meet in occasion of the band’s first headlining performance at the Bowery Ballroom – the show is sold out!

Check out the band’s latest video for single "Human."

Gibbz is a prolific synth-soul-pop artist out of Brooklyn whose music is laser focused on the various feelings and situations triggered by love. Single “Oh My God” (titletrack of his brand new EP) is a soul and R&B tune dealing with lust at first sight, while last year’s single “Stay for a While” is a ballad (based on a… tennis table sample loop?) about getting to know in depth the person you are dating. “Someone Like You” – a collaboration with Cobryama – could be described as a breakup song that might cause heartbreak even to the happily paired (“I wanna love somebody, someone like you.”) “Bright Lights”, the most uplifting of them all, trades moody soulfulness for a catchy pop melody that feels positive and invigorating. Check out Gibbz breakout single "Love Again" below, and – if his music resonates with you – don’t miss him during his residency at the Knitting Factory on the next three Wednesday in January.

BOYTOY from NYC float somewhere between 60s surf jams and 90s grunge rock. Glenn Van Dyke and Saara Untracht-Oakner founded the band in 2013 with two guitars and drums, soon realizing bass wasn’t necessary. They craft catchy, fuzzy, rock nuggets that create dreamy summer vibes all year round and have been regularly apperaing in the quality small venues around New York City and LA. BOYTOY just finished their first European and Puerto Rican tours with their current line-up including Chase Noelle on drums (formerly of Thelma And The Sleeze) and Lena Simon on bass (La Luz). With a 7” and single split 7” coming out in January, the four band members continue their migratory tradition to Los Angeles this winter including a Southern, West Coast and Northern tour of the U.S.. BOYTOY plans to record their sophomore full length in LA in March 2017. You can see them live at Baby’s All Right on 01.09

David Strange is delightfully weird, devilshly hypnotic, and guaranteed to pull you down into his personal rabbit hole. With psych rock leanings, it’s easy to say that the ex-session musician’s sound belongs to a different era, but there’s a hard-to-place oddness pumping through the twisted heart of his self-titled EP–so much so that it’s perhaps more fitting to say Strange’s music belongs to a different dimension. Stand out track "Aztec Corn" pulses with the grit and glam of old-school rock n’ roll, but has a jaunty, sinsiter quality that feels as if Strange is edging closer and closer to becoming wildly unhinged. The result is a delirously delicious aural treat, especially for those craving something a bit more unusal. You can catch him at the Knitting Factory 1/30 with ZEBEDEE, Logan X, and Toot Sweet, but in the meantime, be sure to stream him below. – Olivia Sisinni

So maybe you gave up on wearing your sister’s jeans, but your heart was never were able to fully give up on your middle-school-era emo music phase. Free Throw may be just the band for you. The Nashville natives serve up songs busting with visceral punches, and primed to cut right through your gut and leave you screaming the lyrics along to your car radio. The band’s currenly revving up for a national tour (dates here) but in the meantime, stream them below.-Olivia Sisinni

We’ve always been fan of NYC’s songstress Niia, whose sensuous song "Last Night in Los Feliz" was recently chosen by Kylie Jenner & Tyga as soundtrack for a risque` video unveiled on Christmas day. Needless to say, this got Niia a fair amount of exposure, and her name popped up in our Best of NYC Top 10 for emerging artists on this same page…

Having spent 3 years working inside a corporate music store, I can personally attest that the sounds you hear all day are not exactly the most musical. It’s pretty common to be asked by wide eyed customers how you can possibly deal with all the noise while kids who have never touched a drum set before wail on the heads with reckless abandon. Honestly though, after a couple of months of working against all the clamor, the constant set of squeals, squawks and crashes tends to bleed into the background, and answering a hush-toned phone call takes no real effort. 

But this is why I was instantly interested in Glassine’s (aka Danny Greenwald) latest release. No Stairway is made up solely of manipulated field recordings from the artist’s local Guitar Center, and before you write it off as a weirdo, novelty album take a listen–the LP is a bona fide avant-ambient record that stands even without its premise. With 7 tracks of vaporwave vibes that feel warm, hazy and exceptionally human, Glassine forces the take-for-granted din of music retail into the forfront of his work. How he’s managed to transform the cacophony of middle aged men stumbling through three chord songs on thousand dollar guitars into emotive ambiance is beyond me, but it’s a creative tour de force that will have you questioning the line that lies between music and noise. Check out No Stairway streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni

Literary rockers Modern Diet, our fresh artist of the month, have released an imaginative animated video for their latest track “Red Eye” (streaming below).  Visual artist Jaron Lionel depicts dreamlike scenarios based on lyrics which juxtapose relationship struggles against a doomed airline flight.  Initially sparse and moody, the track develops on top of a dynamic bass guitar phrase, while sustained guitar atmospherics hold steady over softer shuffling percussion.  Reaching the central hook, lyrics detail being “on a nonstop with nowhere to go” as they’re “asleep in the eye of the storm,” leaving little doubt this is a troubled ride. The slow burn builds to a majestic coda of reverberated “ooooh wah” vocals, forceful guitar chord accents and jazz-styled drum fills. “Wake up in a cold sweat, Not coming back to bed, Plane crash and a wet dream, 747 under fitted sheets, Where she’s waiting for me, I will not go to sleep.”  It’s a powerful track and video that incorporates the grand storytelling of Arcade Fire with the jazzy touches of Steely Dan. – Dave Cromwell

Heartbreak is often the gateway to creativity. This might certainly be the case for Bushwick based, slack rockers Holy Tunics. Their single “Forget Your Love” (streaming), off their their 2016 EP “Hot to Trot” is a dreamy, upbeat track that speaks about heartbreak and the painful following efforts to move on. Happily, we can report that, based on the title of the first two tracks on the record ("Hot to Trot" and "Good Sex"), that misery might have been overcome, at least for a hot minute or two. But we are speculating: whatever the truth behind these songs is, these guys should thank the person who inspired “Forget Your Love,” because – like the Greeks say – "pain is the seed of knowledge and beauty." (And, besides, positivity is the only way back to an old flame). So, whether you want to forget your love or hope to get lucky with him/her/them, Shea Stadium is the place to be on January 14th, to see Holy Tunics live. – Jocelyn Huggler