Epic-Nerd-Art-Rock is the closest approximation we can find, as far as genres, to describe the music of Bushwick’s Not Blood, Paint. With their premier full studio album release "Believing Is Believing" they capture the shock and awe of their dynamic live sets. Join them at Bushwick staple venue House of Yes tomorrow July 8th for the release party. Adding to the festivities will be Idgy Dean, That Handsome Devil and Starwood. – BrokeMc

Streets of Laredo, a band we’ve been following since their very beginnings as a trio, rarely disappoint. Originating from New Zealand, the now-Brooklyn based collective has sucessfully created a folk pop sound that’s catchy, fun, but never saccharinous.  Their new single "99.9.%," follows suit, but also seems to manifest a desire to move closer towards the pop end of their sound’s spectrum. A quicker tempo, Courtney Barnett-esque sing-talking, victorious horns and "Hey-ho!"s from the back-up vocals make for a song that, while definitely not out of line with what Streets of Laredo have done in the past, suggest a push towards a wider audience. This isn’t a bad thing by any means, as it’s still a solid track and not even necessarily an indication of what the rest of their next LP, due in autumn, will sound like. However, if it says anything, it’s that Streets of Laredo might not be playing many more shows at relatively smaller, local venues, so catch them while you can at Baby’s All Right on 7/11. – Henry Solotaroff-Webber

One of the easier ways, for emerging artists, to have a first popularity outbreak, is through the endorsement of a celebrity. Yes, because – rather sadly – they are a much more effective promotional vehicles than blogs, which is a reason good enough for all ambitious artists to cultivate their VIP PR skills! NYC songwriter Maggie Rogers knows something about that. We were very impressed by her folky debut album (now pulled from the web) back in 2014, so much so that we interviewed her and booked her for one of our official CMJ 2014 shows (with Margaret Glaspy, who is also getting some buzz as of late). After that, Maggie’s name got a little lost, until this happened (Pharrel stumbled upon Maggie’s new song at a NYU seminar and fell in love with it). Obviously Rogers, who is still in her early ’20s, has spent these two years working hard on a more sophisticated sound (her debut was almost entirely acoustic). The audible results so far – in the shape of new single ‘Alaska’ – showcase a successful effort to step up her musical game, and are certainly worthy of praise. Still, it looks like Pharrell Williams’ promotion of the track was worth about five million Spotify plays, which is a very tall order for even an established artist! The pressure is now on Maggie to make the most of this incredible opportunity, because, to sustain a lenghty musical career, talent and good luck also need to be matched by consistently powerful songwriting. The Deli is with you, Maggie!

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

Although the it’s been stigmatized by many, a new crop of bands are embracing the classic emo sound and proving that the negatives associated with the genre do not define it. For Everest is a five-piece from New York that is breaking down the stereotypes by offering a more relatable version of emo. Their latest single “Autonomy” examines frontwoman Sarah Cowell’s inner struggle of desperately wanting to get out of an abusive relationship, while feeling guilty for leaving. Cowell’s catchy and therapeutic lyrics prove that more mature and complex feelings and thoughts can be channeled through "emotional" melodic punk-rock. For Everest recently played a show with fellow emo revival group The World Is A Beautiful Place… and will be playing Sunnyvale on July 8th. – John Honan

One of the most interesting developments of recording technology has been the creative use of samples, something hip hop anticipated with scratching and vinyls featuring music loops of sample drumbeats – here’s the most popular one of all. Brooklyn producer, songwriter and emcee Kirk Knight exhibits impressive skills in the sampling department on his 2013 release “Dust,” an unrelease collection of songs that was released earlier this year after Kirk soared in popularity thanks to his 2015’s LP ‘Late Knight Special.’ That he will also perform as New York’s lone home-grown representative at this year’s Village Voice 4Knots Fest is something of a coup as well. A total of ten under two minute tracks on “Dust” exhibit a mastery of the Ableton production software, allowing the artist to weave in bits of his own voice samples. The approach delivers a series of dream-like tracks that include electronic, cut up Motown with an easy, breezy, trip-hop-jazz feel to it all. Featured track “The Right Thing” incorporate sampled elements that breakout acts like Charli XCX explored on a number of her debut album tracks like “So Far Away.” Charting single "I Know" (also streaming) features a more aggressive attitude and production. It will be interesting to see how Mr. Knight presents this sound to a live audience at 4Knots. That festival takes place Saturday July 9, returning to its original South Street Seaport location. Other acts performing are Guided By Voices, Strumbellas, Car Seat Headrest and many others. See the full listing here. – Dave Cromwell

While a core element of Sexy Coyote’s unique brand of pop-punk is the cacophony they create by crashing arrangements into oneanother, it never feels like its a process that’s being done haphazardly or ironically. Rather, on their recently released Danger in the Deep EP the band takes on the role of mad scientists, forging a sound that feels almost experimental at times but never without the precision or poise necesary to create a fundamentally tight sound. It’s one that works on multiple levels as well: impassioned vocals, booming drums and quick tempos get the heart racing, while at the same time intriguing and often-shifting guitar patterns keep the mind intrigued.  Check out their new EP below. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Ivy Meissner has a way of making you picture much of her music as a visual field while you listen. The Brooklyn singer-songwriter’s new song ‘Talk To Me’ begins simply enough, but takes on new meanings when she collides her softly spoken acoustic guitar and mellow vocals with loudly ringing telephones, heavily distorted drum kits, and telegraph wires. It’s a healthy dose of musique concrete dancing around Meissner’s wistful lyrics. Check out the tune below, and see the artist when she plays with Charlotte Cornfield and Space Captain on August 6th at Littlefield. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Fresh from their live at The Hi Hat, The Unending Thread premieres their music video "Salvation Mountain" on The Deli LA. Home video aesthetic meets smooth jazz nods to the vape nation, VWs, and Nickelback. Julian Rogantini gets swept up chasing clouds and shirks on his pet responsibilities—meanwhile, Kim Reyes and Cesar Alas fight for the last Doritos. Credits to Daniel Gilbreath, Christina Hitchcock and Michael de Toffoli.

/ / y’all.

Fresh from their live at The Hi Hat, The Unending Thread premieres their music video "Salvation Mountain" on The Deli LA. Home video aesthetic meets smooth jazz nods to the vape nation, VWs, and Nickelback. Julian Rogantini gets swept up chasing clouds and shirks on his pet responsibilities—meanwhile, Kim Reyes and Cesar Alas fight for the last Doritos. Credits to Daniel Gilbreath, Christina Hitchcock and Michael de Toffoli.

/ / y’all.

Houdan the Mystic is a psychedelic math rock project that hails from the streets of Richmond, VA. Though they haven’t released anything new since 2014, their split album with Fight Clouds, Where’s My Shakespeare, is an entrancing number. The record opens with “The Mandler” (streaming below), a warm flitting ditty with tender vocals that echo in the distance, giving the track a haunting depth, as the guitar and drums sputter fervently along creating both a calming and urgent sensation that washes over you. Then they shift gears into thunderous instrumental tracks with a thick bass that cuts through at breakneck pace, creating contrast and accentuating the jagged and arrhythmic melodies in the album. The tracks flow in an almost train of thought form that constructs a texturally varied soundscape–making for an interesting listen. And even better yet, Houdan the Mystic plays Strange Matter on July 8 so make sure to head out and give them a listen. – Adriana S. Ballester

LAVACHILD is a NYC based synth pop project fronted by fashionable singer songwriter/keyboardist Chantel De Lava (pictured), whose hypnotic presence charmed us at our 2015 B.E.A.F. festival. Her older single "Want U To" went viral on the internet, and since then Chantel has been releasing promising new material on her Soundcloud profile. She just unveiled a new video for single ‘Kandy,’ streaming below. The song will be featured in LAVACHILD’s upcoming debut EP.

Check out the Delicious Audio Q&A with Lavachild about her favorite synths.

Ironically, more often than not the best way to create something fresh is by digging deep into the past. For quirky and charming orchestral pop artist/composer Nozart, this means smoothly blending classically inspired compositions with his own indie-pop vocals. To some this premise may seem gimmicky at first (after all, how many terrible classical music/rock hybrids have we experienced already?), but his music is convincing in its ambition and execution. His compositions, which include piano, brass, wind, and percussion, are intricate but also minimalist, and definitely steer clear of any pompousness. This is key because it allows Nozart’s vocals enough space in each track to turn them into "songs" rather than orchestral pieces that happen to include vocals.  Nozart certainly has the potential to bridge the chasm between avant and mainstream with his uniquely catchy track "Just Let it Go." Don’t miss his debut live performance at Mercury Lounge on July 8. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

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