Anyone living in New York City can attest to the fact that it’s a bit of a mess, wonderful and cacophonous but also slightly terrifying and frustrating. Brooklyn based post punk quartet Journalism manages to encapsulate the nervous energy of trying to make it in this city with their new album ‘Faces.’ Bouts of energetic anxiousness permeate the songs, exacerbated by feverous guitar riffs and accentuated by the mild tension in frontman Zema’s vocals. The reverb drenched guitars pluck away tenderly in songs like “Watching and Waiting” and “Everywhere I Look” before erupting into a string of mesmerizingly fast paced chords, climaxing with “Naked.” Journalism questions if what we’re doing in the end amounts to anything, but the inherent uncertainty of it is what makes it thrilling in the first place. Catch Journalism live at Trans-Pecos in Queen on May 21 and give their album a listen.

At first you think that this band sounds like most indie rock bands: melodious guitar riffs, a fat bass chord, steady drums, and a captivating voice. But Julius Earthling quickly dispel this notion with their EP NFL Bliss, which erupts into a raucous rhythm that starts heading one way before completely changing up the tempo and heading down another path, then switching up again. It’s quirky, spastic, catchy and unpredictable which makes for one heck of a fun album. They play tonight at O’Brien’s pub so head on down for a night of great music. If you miss them make sure to keep tabs on their Facebook page for upcoming concerts.  

We’ve been big fans of Brooklyn based Norvwegian songwriter Okay Kaya since we saw her first video for single ‘Damn Gravity,’ released in the spring of 2015. We’ve been missing her live a couple of times (she cancelled a CMJ show on us in 2015, and we didn’t cath her at SXSW in 2016, so we won’t miss the oportunity to see her at The Deli’s sponsored appointment with The Hum, this Sunday April 24th at Greeinpoint’s Manhattan Inn, when she will be playing a semi-improvisational set with Aerial East and Kelsey Lu. We are also happy to report that she has released some new material earlier this year, which showcases a welcome orchestral development of her uber-sparse style – check out single Keep On Pushin’, streaming below.

Kelsey Lu (pictured) is a NYC based artist we’ve never covered before that is also worthy of attention. Born in Charlotte, NC, this classically trained cellist plays with Solange among others, although her own music flirts with ambient and experimental tendencies.

At The Hum this Sunday you’ll also be able to see  Joan Wasser of Joan As Police Woman (who needs no presentation) in a set with drummer Jordyn Blakely (of Stove) and Noga Shefi of Zula, who will also share the stage with Taiwanese vibraphonist Yuhan Su in a separate set. 

This is the last appointment with The Hum, a series The Deli has been sponsoring for the second year in a row – you can read about past showcase previews here.

We are not sure if the concept of "sulking while danicing" existed before the introduction of goth music, but we certainly find the paradox amusing. Were you in the mood for it, we recommend you to watch this video, practice at home, get dressed appropriately, and then go showcase to the public your new moves and attire at Baby’s All Right on April 23rd, during Zebulon Gone‘s live performance. This is a very new, local, one man act that blends goth with industrial (which is an electronic version of goth) without venturing in the latter genre’s overly clangy tendencies. Check out single ‘Get Out, streaming below.

Brooklyn dreampop rockers Beverly are preparing to drop their second album “The Blue Swell” on May 6 through Kanine records. To celebrate that release they have scheduled a few live appearences: a full fledged live show at Baby’s All Right on May 5 with EZTV, Painted Zeroes and Tall Juan, and a free, in the store show at Rough Trade Records at 2 pm on May 7th. In our 2014 interview with the band singer and songwriter Drew Citron confirmed how “harmonies are the most important thing to me,” and how they can “set one moment of the song apart from the other.” That process is clearly on display on recent single “Victoria”  The simplicity of the songs intro seems to exist for this very “set apart” reason. But it’s the gorgeous chorus that pulls it all together. “Why do you need them to adore you?” With a sound like this, it’s hard not to. Newly release song and video for “South Collins” takes those incredible harmonies and bathes them in a haze that marries Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” with The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Some Candy Talking.” The noir film video that accompanies adds a darker edge to its sonic haze. – Dave Cromwell

Some very serious and kewl people don’t relate to quirk in music. However, The Deli NYC is a big supporter of it, maybe because in eccentricity we see freedom. Made up of Brooklyn-based duo Isabelle Burnet and Jacob Rosse, Retail Space say they play "folk influenced-synth pop that’s heavy in harmonies and warbled guitar tones," but that doesn’t convey the unusual melodies of their debut single ‘Getting Older,’ which we are premiering below. The word that conveys that is ‘quirky,’ and that’s what makes this track stand out from the pack. The duo will be performing live at Sunnyvale on April 27th with The Deli NYC’s August 2015 Record of the Month Pupppy (with three ‘p’s).

Just last month, Brooklyn avant-pop sextet Arthur Moon released its sonorously boisterous debut EP, ‘Our Head.’ Starting with the reverb-backed call to awareness “Room” and featuring “Bold Affair” (streaming below), a drum-nicked, Deradoorian-esque track that is as romantically audacious as its title, the four-track effort doesn’t just marvel in its ability to meld disparate genres (rock, minimalism, art-pop, amongst them) but also in the way it imbues vulnerability with calmness; one may just find solace in these beatific songs. Arthur Moon will have its debut show at National Sawdust in Williamsburg on Saturday (4/23). – Zach Weg

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

A NYC based music blog that fosters music journalism by female music writers, Audiofemme tonight is hosting an anniversary bash at Greenpoint’s Good Room with lots of talented, mostly female fronted artists. We blogged about psych pop quartet TEEN and indie pop sister duo Chaos Chaos more than once in this blog – check out those links to refresh your ears. Gold Child (pictured) will also perform on the bill; the trio offers tasteful and relaxed Americana with dreamy overtones and is led by the confident alto of Emily Fehler. On the bill also Von Sell, the solo project of David Von Sell, who released two Hypem-blessed singles that successfully blend experimental textures and soul-pop melodies with jazzy tinges. Check out his latest single ‘I Insist’ streaming below, and last year’s debut ‘Ivan,’ here – we added the latter to The Deli’s playlist of Best electronic songs by emerging NYC artists. On the bill also indie rock quartet Marigolds, who evoke Robyn Hitchcock’s legendary early band, the Soft Boys.

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

To listen to Boston based trio Tuxis Giant is to delve into the deep recesses of your mind. The rollicking guitar riffs and the gentle plucking of the chords play out like quiet, contemplative ruminations that creep up to you in the dark hours of the night. O’Conner’s voice glides over the melancholy melodies like pleading whispers before the electric guitar swells and his voice bellows over them. Tuxis Giant is the type of band you can listen to during long, midnight drives by yourself–the windows down with the wind racing past you. The band released a full length album in 2015 but just released a 4 song EP split with Traded (streaming below). Expect a full band show in a month so keep an eye on their Facebook page for details and listen to their album below!  

Brooklyn Political punk act, Worriers, announced their upcoming headline show at Mercury Lounge on April 21st, joined on stage by Philly’s Pouty (ex-Slutever, Upset) and Don Giovanni label-mates Painted Zeros, who play dreamy post punk and are also based in NYC.  Worriers is currently finishing a 5-week eastern US tour that included dates supporting The Smith Street Band and The Falcon (Lawrence Arms, Alkaline Trio, Loved Ones) along with an official appearance at SXSW. This will be the band’s first New York headline date of the year, after sold-out shows supporting Iron Chic and The Smith Street Band. 

Most people remember the ’80s for post punk, new wave and cheesy synth pop, but that decade produced also a lot of great guitar rock bands like R.E.M. and Weezer that prepared a fertile ground for the college rock and grunge explosions of the ’90s. Slonk Donkerson’s super solid debut album, entitled ‘The Lunar Martini Motorbike Club and Their Respective Destinies,’ effortlessly gathers several of the aforementioned influences in ten powerful tracks. Older single ‘Watching Every Channel at Once‘ is still their catchiest, but the entire albums offers a rare songwriting consistency. Check out opening track Sonata and don’t miss their live appearance at Palisades on April 23.

The deadpan vocals, minimalistic electro arrangements and sober melodies of some of the new wave of the ’80s are brought back to life by Brooklyn’s Order of Operations, the project of Brooklyn songwriter Alain Paradis. Single ‘Pheromones And Molecules’ (streaming below) channels Brian Eno’s commanding melodies with early electronic simplicity reminiscent of the early Human League. Lovers of that sound can witness Order of Operations live at Alphaville on April 20th.