We highlighted Long Island’s The Lemon Twigs in our recent Best of NYC 2016 issue, and it looks like the Long Island duo is set for an exciting year. The D’Addario brothers just announced their signing with legendary British label 4AD (now part of the Beggars’ Group), and unveiled vaguely Supertramp-esque new single ‘These Words’ – streaming below. The upcoming full length will be produced by Jonathan Rado, co-founder of Foxygen, who seems to be specializing in producing albums that offer a new take on the sound of the late ’60s and early ’70s. This is definitely a record we are looking forward to. Check out The Lemon Twig’s other recent single (also produced by Rado) "As Long As We’re Together."

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

With fuzzy chords and a sound that rivals the roar of a V8 american muscle car Them Animals sounds like the kind of band that makes your friends dingy basement party feel like the best place you’ve ever been. The guitars power through creating an infectious garage rock melody tinged with a touch of blues and vocals that have been drenched in distortion. The chorus of their recent release, Losing Feeling (streaming below), burns mighty like a track doused in gasoline and set ablaze making you want to sway and jump around, bringing a pinch of unpredictable chaos to the otherwise very tight and controlled melodic party. Listen to Them Animals below and catch them live at Velvet Lounge on August 17. – Adriana S. Ballester

Who said a beautiful melody is necessary to create a great song? SOFI TUKKER‘s’s gone viral single Drinkee (brand new video below) features a one-note melodic phrase repeated over and over pretty much from the beginning to the end of the song – and we’ll never get tired of it! The Brooklyn based duo just unveiled their debut EP ‘Soft Animals,’ which comprises all their singles to date, plus electro ballad ‘Moon Tattoo,’ and also announced a bunch of summer dates in Europe and the US – the local date at Baby’s All Right on July 30th is already sold out. We recently asked them a few questions about their creative process, check out the link below. 

Delicious Audio Interview with SOFI TUKKER about synths and their creative process.

In recent years dream pop has become a big part of the "NYC sound" – probably only second to garage rock. Although Brooklyn-based quartet Uni Ika Ai, founded by Lucius’ Peter Lalish and Toebow’s Maia Friedman’s, can surely be categorized under the dream pop umbrella, they have the merit to steer clear from the genre’s canonized influences (Cocteau Twins, Mazzy Star and Broadcast). In “Make You Better,” the band’s first single, Friedman’s voice draws an airy, slow melody over a glittering musical background where guitars and keyboards merge into each other, like colors do in paintings by the Impressionists. Baroque and classical elements emerge here and there, and new layers come to the surface or are exhausted as the song progresses. Their debut album, Keeping A Golden Bullseye In The Corner of My Mind will be released in mid October. Uni Ika Ai will begin a residency at C’Mon Everybody on July 13th.

Even when singing about being “bored to death” or “sick in bed,” Queens-based band, Thin Lear has the ability to sound light and carefree. Even “seven days without sleep” seem like a walk in the park – a testament to endurance, surely a handy quality for any independent musician! In the Thin Lear EP Matt Longo – the man and voice behind the baroque-pop project – creates waves of nostalgia, supported by tastefully restrained melodies and his gentle voice. The record (the project’s fourth release since 2011) makes endearing references to New York City and single “Second Nature” (streaming) uses light, yet dynamic instrumentation along with subtle calipso influences.  You can catch him at Pianos tomorrow (July 9th). – Madeleine Grossman

While the two are often correlated, it’s not always necessary for music that’s catchy to be pristine as well. Boston band Earth Heart is a prime example of this: with their shout-sung vocals, swampy drums and lo-fi guitars, they do their darn best to produce a sound that’s abrasive, but thanks to the great songwriting, their music is still very satisfying. While mostly sticking to this garage pop sound on their previous tracks, such as recent single "Homesick" (streaming below), the Boston trio has shown the ability to pull off more "avant" stuff as well, like in their nearly nine minute track "BURN" from 2014. This versatility and talent should make their debut LP, due on 8/5, interesting to say the least. Earth Heart also made an appearance on WEMF radio’s Sticky Hits program on 5/28, and will be performing live at the pin Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery on July 13th. – Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Every time it seems like the emo sub-genre is finally on its last legs, a band swoops in with fresh, revitalizing sounds, and this time it’s Trenton’s own Save Face coming to the rescue with their Folly EP.  Though outwardly emo, the key to their unique sound is their subtle enfolding of other genre influences into their music and inventive dynamic shifting. Huge dynamic shifts are the name of the game in emo, but Save Face take it one step further through further contrasting their loud and soft sections in their musical makeups. Their louder sections of their songs are definitely emo, with screamed vocals, distorted guitars and the whole nine yards, but their softer sections mix in indie folk vocals, indie rock guitar, and a funky rhythm section that allows Save Face’s songs to stand out in how they are strikingly progress and diversely composed. Folly can be streamed now on Alternative Press, and you can catch Save Face live at Gold Sounds on 7/17. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Brooklyn band Color Tongue’s latest single "Sprouts" is one of those rare songs where fun and experimentation coexist peacefully, integrating each other. On it, the self-described "dirty psych pop" quartet take an imaginative approach to songwriting, conjuring up dramatic dynamic shifts, unusual song structure and exuberant melodies. "Sprouts" is a strong initial introduction to their debut LP of the same name, scheduled for a summer release. The band should have some shows in August – stay tuned! —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

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

As further proof that youngsters, at some point, tend to "become" their parents, Brooklyn trio EZTV seems to have transictioned to a revival tinged, but richer and more vibrant sound, directly inspired to the psychedelic pop of the ’60s. New single "High Flying Faith" sounds like a tribute to The Byrds, while maintaining a fresh and modern sound. The bright, chiming tone of the guitars is a striking new element, while the guest vocals from Jenny Lewis, whom the band will be supporting on tour this summer, integrate Ezra Tenenbaum’s already dreamy melodies in ways that scream "Flower Power!" EZTV will be playing the Bell House on July 15th in support of Miracle Legion and Out in the Streets Festival on July 16th before heading out with Lewis. Their album High In Place will be released on September 30th via Captured Tracks. – John Honan

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best psych rock/pop songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!
Read our Delicious Audio Q&A with EZTV’s Ezra Tenenbaum about guitar pedals.
 

The New York-based lo-fi grunge duo Brainfreeze is comprised of NYC born drummer Zoë Brecher and guitarist María Villar of Madrid. The two met when Villar was studying in the US, and have since released a two-song demo and two singles. Their latest single “Role Model” (streaming below) was produced by Diego Garcia of The Parrots, and while it only clocks in at 83 seconds, the song is a burst of frenetic energy and raw emotion that is buzzing with garage rock punk and grung influencese. Brecher and Villar share vocal duties on the track as they shout the lines “I will be your role model”. The band just played a show with fellow Madrid rockers Hinds at the House of Vans in Brooklyn, and will be performing at Aviv on July 8th in support of Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk. – John Honan

Dazeases rolls into the VA music circuit in an aural aura of colors, at times neon and then muted pastels. Listening to her most recent release, Welcome Back EP (streaming below), feels like walking through a glass house of dreams. Ethereal tinkling and undulating synths permeate the tracks as wispy sighs tread lightly over them and electronic sputters pierce through. The EP becomes a spacey exploration that delves us deeper into our reveries. Listen to Dazeases entrancing tracks below and catch her performing at Strange Matter on July 14. – Adriana S. Ballester

Voted by The Deli as one of the Best NYC Indie/Post-Punk bands of 2015 earlier this year, Big Bliss consists of brothers of Cory (drums, Party of Helicopters) and Tim Race (guitar/vocals, Russenorsk/Narrow & the Brights) along with bassist Wallace May (Young Tides). Their newest single “Old Guard” (streaming below) was just released on the Unblinking Ear Records’ Office Supplies series, and will be also included in their upcoming EP, out in August. Following in the footsteps of their previous material, “Old Guard” elicits the gloomy and disturbed nature of British post-punk acts like The Cure and Joy Division. Race’s somewhat anxious, restless delivery provides the ideal companion for the tense and pressing instrumentation. Big Bliss’ debut EP Keep Near will be released on August 12th via Exit Stencil Records. They will be playing Sunnyvale on July 15th before heading out on a tour in support of the EP in August with fellow Brooklyn natives Language – also a band worth checking out for those who miss the days of post punk, they just released a new cassette EP titled ‘Junket.’ You can see language live at Shea Stadium on August 7th- John Honan