We somehow missed this video for single "Outside Your Love," released in June by NYC dark wave (or electro-shoegazer) trio Glass Gang, a band we often covered in the past and also booked at CMJ in 2014. The group today is releasing another single entitled "Wild Light," also streaming, and while they make no mention of an upcoming album that will gather the two songs, the news of the day is about their debut UK show, set to take place at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington, London on Tuesday 8th November. 

Shaking Through is a Philly based documentary series about the process of recording music as seen through the eyes of today’s most promising independent musicians. Their latest episode features two of our favorite NYC artists, both of whom were rewarded with our NYC Record of the Month, although about ten years apart. Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic produced the Big Thief yet unreleased track ‘Mother’ (streaming below) and… magic was delivered again.

Read our Record of the Month review of Big Thief’s debut LP "Masterpiece."

 As it’s developed over the years, the garage-rock genre, and it’s variations, has grown to include many types of music, and none know this better than Boston by-way-of Providence group The Rare Occasions. Instead of opting to section themselves off into one of the genre’s many corners, the band instead embraces its multi-faceted nature wholeheartedly, and play tunes that fall anywhere on the spectrum between swampy pop all the way to harder, dischordant punk. Because of this it’s hard to know what to expect off of their forth-coming EP Futureproof, due out August 13th, aside from it should be eclectically electric.  The Rare Occasions are going on an east coast tour in support of their new EP available on 8/5, indluding a release show at The Middle East on 8/13. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

On Mākutu’s debut track, "Into the Sun," featuring Annapolis’s Gingerwolf, the Boston-based group introduce themselves with an intriguing gloom-pop sound. The song starts off meekfully and mellow, with a lonesome piano melody that is quickly joined by harmonzied vocals. As the track progresses, however, more components are added in, the dynamics grow bolder, and the song transforms from a elegiac tune to an up-lifting jam, full of redemption. It’s bold, and nuanced song-writing from the fledgling band, and it should be a promising sign for future projects. You can check them out at The Middle East on 7/27. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

 

Alternating between swirling, lawless sea swells of sound and spacey-lounge jazz, Brooklyn-based band Sheen Marina is as unpredictable as a rogue wave. Sounding every bit Mars Volta as lo-fi sunshine-y surf rock, the band’s chill-beach tendencies are punctuated by a looming chaotic (and math-y at once) madness that threatens to take charge at any given moment. Despite this, the band comes off as tight, raw and endlessly interesting – leaving the listener picking up new song elements with every pass. Sheen Marina’s sound was made for summer (with a twist), so check out their recently dropped single, a rather irrecognizable cover of "Gettin’ Hungry" by the Beach Boys, and their first EP, Coda Arms, here. – Olivia Sisinni 

This artist submitted music for coverage here.

Vagabon is the indie rock project of New York’s Laetitia Tamko, whose emotionally charged electric folk songs often focus on moving or wandering from place to place in search of a purpose and loved ones. The trio released their debut EP Persian Garden in November of 2014, which features six lush tracks that are brimming with honesty and delicate instrumentation. The album’s opener “Cold Apartment Floors” is a ballad characterized by shifts between soft, quiet sections and guitar charged climaxes. Following track “Shadows” (streaming) speeds up with folkier elements and lyrics that center around following a loved one wherever they may go – even when the feelings aren’t mutual. Vagabon will be playing the Silent Barn on July 28th in support of Fear of Men. – John Honan

Boston band PowerSlut have never played by anyone’s rules but their own, and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. The lead single off their second LP "Girl Crush," is as evocative, or even moreso, than the ironic alt-rockers have ever been, telling the story of a girl the singer has a "girl crush" on.  The lyrics are hilarious, espcially the chorus where Linnea Herzog repeats "Girl crush, girl crush, no homo," bringing back a phrase that most people probably asummed had died alongwith other unfortunate high-school sayings. PowerSlut have always demonstrated a real talent in creating music that messes with the listener’s expectations and pokes fun at society while still satisfying sonically as well.  PowerSlut are set to release their second album titled The Second Coming on 8/5 alongwith a release party at Out of the Blue Arts Gallery and More. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Brooklyn-based soul crooner Peter Wise offers a "back-to-basics" approach that’s experiencing a resurgence in today’s RnB. Like for his contemporary Gallant, the pillars of his sound are his range-y voice, and simple but impactful instrumental arrangements that let the vocals take center stage. His latest release, "Sweet Solitude," illustrates this perfectly, as Wise implores, then begs a partner with his gripping alto (and impressive falsetto at times) not to leave him in "sweet solitude". His voice is acompanied by Wise’s own seemingly Santana-inspired guitar part that reinforces the track’s vintage quality and adds in nostalgia of its own as well.  "Sweet Solitude" is a promising single from an EP due in September, and you can check him out on August 6th at C’mon Everybody, a new Brooklyn venue between Clinton Hill and Bed Stuy that’s booking quality artists. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber, Photo Credit: Toby Seifinger

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

Frankie Cosmos was rewarded with a NYC Record of the Month at the time of ‘Zentropy‘ (2014), and graced the cover of the 2015 issue of The Deli as a member of the band Porches, but her latest LP ‘Next Thing‘ is certainly the height of her career as a songwriter – a consistent record full of memorable songs and heart-felt words. The project’s mastermind Greta Kline and her band are about to embark on another round of US tour dates including a homecoming sold out show at Bowery Ballroom on August 6th, and more world tour dates have been announced today. A new video Sinister" was also unveiled today, one of the best singles from her latest album – check it out below.

Scully formed after the breakup of California-based garage rock group The Splinters, when three of its core members reunited in Brooklyn. Their perfectly self-described brand of “California sunshine, Brooklyn grime” features easy going pop melodies blended with heavy psych influences, along with the scuzzy and lo-fi nature of garage rock. Last year the band released a split with La Luz that featured their track “Don’t Want That”. Scully’s latest single “Wave” puts the band’s poppy psych sound on display with shimmering guitar tones and hazy vocals. “Wave” is the first single off the four-pieces upcoming EP No Sense, which will be released on August 19th through Fire Talk. Scully will be playing Union Pool on July 28th in support of fellow psych-garage rockers Honey. – John Honan

Teen Body‘s debut LP Get Home Safe flows between wispy, delicate sections and more agitated moments filled with with tension. The four-piece recently released a music video for single “Bored Window” that also plays along this dichotomy, opening with lighthearted and playful scenes of band comradery, at least until they start killing each other – in all likelihood because of creative disagreements and ego conflicts related to the band! The group’s placid dream pop acts as a surreal commentary to the final, bloody scenes, in a way remoiniscent of Spike Lee’s use of loungy jazz over violent sequences. Teen Body will be playing live July 27th at Shea Stadium. – John Honan

Two months have passed since bedroom mystic Jamie Leroux quietly dropped the phantasmagoric three-year successor Visual Underground as Future Holograms. That trillwave release recalled a cathartic time for Detroit-native Leroux, who admits,"The constant change actually influenced the Future Holograms project, due to the longing of all the people I’ve kept close and how the distance effected me." Moving to San Diego nearly five years ago, the producer spends his first summer back in the Motor City, and has released another album’s worth of material, Fog of War, under a new name and a new aura.

White China’s first output is as much a virtuous revision to the past incarnations Yokan Pop, Icosagon, Sun Metal, and more as it is a retrospective nod to hypnagogic auteurs like Gold Panda, XXYYXX, and Clams Casino—caught at a time when dad aesthetics, Drake lyrics, and pastel colors equally conjure sardonic chuckles and nostalgic sighs. 2011 didn’t seem that long ago.

Listen to "Let’s Fuck Ourselves Over" from White China’s debut album Fog of War below and download it for free on Leroux’s netlabel/collective Silver Throne Records.