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.

We discovered Echoscape, the brainchild of NYC’s dreamy acoustic guitar virtuoso Satoshi Inoue, through our latest Best of NYC Poll for Emerging Artists.  As you can see from his latest video for instrumental piece "March of A Lonesome Man," the young man has a rather unique way to play that instrument. His sung songs blend dream pop, folk and math rock in unexpected ways, check out his recent single ‘Brightest,’ below. You can catch Echoscape live at Pianos on May 4th.

Toronto’s soul rock queen SATE, winner of our recent Best of Toronto 2015 poll for emerging artists, just released this new video for single "Know My Name," which confirms the lady’s undeniable power and talent. Don’t miss her next show at Lee’s Palace during CMW on May 4th, after which she will leave for a brief East Coast tour that will take her also to NYC.

One of the most interesting and original NYC artist playing old timey sounding music, Jonathon Linaberry’s The Bones of J.R. Jones will be celebrating the release of its sophomore full length ‘Spirit’s Furnace’ with a show at the Mercury Lounge tonight April 15th. New single "Hammers and Nails" (streaming) reproduces his signature stomping sound, which originates from the fact that the man is his own band: you can’t play much more than a four on the floor kick, while playing a couple of other instruments and singing. A disciple of 20th Century Folk and Blues artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lightnin’ Hopkins, Linaberry blends those influences with his early passion for hardcore punk, delivering an alternative version of roots music that’s dark and edgy enough to feel at home both in a Manhattan bar and in a DIY Brooklyn venue. 

Brooklyn songwriter Mitski – our Record of the Month in November 2014 – just unveiled this new video for single ‘Your Best American Girl,’ featured in her fourth studio album ‘Puberty 2,’ released on June 17th on Dead Oceans. The Japanese-American artist will headline a US tour as a three piece in the summer, and play a few shows in Europe next week. The band’s June 20th show at Bowery Ballroom is sold out, so you better get your tickets for the following NYC show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Juyly 27.