Over the past couple of months Brooklyn’s DREAMERS has been climbing our emerging artists charts, and we wonder if vocalists’ Nick Wold’s new haircut has anything to do with it. Single ‘Wolves,’ which propelled their career forward, dates back to 2014 although it feels like it was recorded in the 90’s after some kids felt inspired by Rod Daniel’s Teen Wolf and all of John Hughes’ movies but only had their parents old camcorder to work with. With new single ‘Drugs’ (streaming) the trio pushes the sonic envelope in more-epic-than-ever directions, matching it with a video that, again, heavily references image-capturing devices: this time the semi-DIY ones found in our smartphones, which – not coincidentally – are the form of "drug" the song is about. Currently on a month long US tour, the band will return to NYC with a show on May 20 at The Studio @ Webster Hall. Check out this 2014 Deli interview with Dreamers.

Do you ever miss your days of teen angst, where every slight was a deep wound that only music could heal? No? Well, listen to Way Out and you will just get it. There is something nostalgic and analog in Way Out’s music, the way Knox belts out the vocals, the deep reverb of the bass pulsing slowly in the background as the guitar speeds jaggedly through the track. It’s reminiscent of early 80’s post punk goth scene – a little bit of The Cure’s brooding atmosphere with a pinch of The Smiths’ despondence, perfect for your gloomy days. Or happy days. Or completely average days. Sometimes you just need a little dark and gloomy in your playlist amidst all the bubbling pop of today and Way Out has that for you. Catch them at Great Scott on April 14 and take a listen below!

Twin Wave (a band we booked in 2013 for one of our a CMJ shows) just unveiled a new single, entitled ‘Matador’ (streaming) from their upcoming new EP ‘ Pour Out The Dark.’ The atmoshperic but uptempo track features Tommy Eichman’s sparse and measured production, and a sound that’s between the sophistipop of the ’80s (think Everything But The Girl) and the chilled wave of the new millennium. The trio will be celebrating the single’s release at Baby’s All Right on April 15th with Surf Rock is Dead and Ula Ruth.

The ladies over at Hypnocraft certainly got us hypnotized with this weekends lineup for the upcoming appointment of The Hum (the weekly, female-artists-only, collab night that The Deli sponsors) and it’s definitely not the first time., since it’s showcasing mostly local artists we ourselves love and have covered in this very blog.

At this week’s show on Sunday (4.10) the first pair kicking off the night is Casey Dienel (White Hinterland) alongside the lovely and talented ladies of Gracie & Rachel. With beautiful vocals and a keen ear for strong melodies we can almost hear the entrancing, orchestral performance from these gals already. Followed by Julia Easterlin and Hannah Epperson we can already hear a track built up solely by vocal loops and smooth violin chords, something sweet to get us dreaming. For the final performance we can expect to be enticed by solid drum progressions and synth ambiance courtesy of Dani Markham (Tune-Yards), Maia Friedman (UNI IKA AI) & K. Marie Kim (BLANK PAPER).

So stroll on over to Manhattan Inn this Sunday, April 10, for some some great performances in a cozy and intimate environment!

Hailing from The Bronx and led by Spires’ drummer Carter McNeil, Ghost King plays muddy fuzz rock brightened by unexpected chord changes, psychedelic overtones, and a ’90s rock inspired lo-fi production that blends the fun attitude of Violent Femmes, the stellar songwriting of The Pixies and the slacking tendencies of Pavement. Early psych rock influences emerge here and there in their debut album ‘Bones‘ (check out the rather Barretesque ‘Bones pt. 1,’ or the chorus explosion of ‘When the Sky Turns blue‘ – streaming below), enriching the sonic palette in ways rarely accomplished, in a single record, without it sounding… all over the place. But beyond the familiar and beloved references to the past, what makes this album great is its consistently brilliant songwriting, and the band’s habit of taking the listener in and out of unexpected places, like for example with the dissonant riffs of ‘Skeleton Dance’ ‘s intro, which slowly morphs into a perfectly consonant verse, or through the bizarre development of ”Til You Belong to Me’ or ‘Bones pt. 2.’  

Don’t miss Ghost King’s show at Aviv, tomorrow April 8th.

Listening to Aüva is like losing yourself in a photograph whose colors have faded under the sun. The brilliance is still there but it’s like walking through a hazy dream. From the sugary sweetness of the three piece harmonies and gum drop plops of the guitar in “Into Place” to the prithy drumming and twangy melancholy of the rhythm section in “Nothing Else,” Aüvas Light Years is an aural technicolor reverie dripped in nostalgic beauty. Losing ourselves in this sunburnt masterpiece was a breeze, and easing out of it left us longing it a little more. Prepare for cool summer nights with Light Years and catch Aüra perform at O’Brien’s Pub on Aprill 11. – Adriana S Ballester

Last night was at the 9:30 club was a beautiful one. Opening the night was Brazilian psych rock group Boogarins. This quartet was fantastic, sounding like an otherworldly mix of CCR and Tame Impala. Capturing a bluesy guitar sound and mixing it with superb drumming, songbird vocals, and a penchant for atmospheric vocals, their show’s an experience worth having. They’re playing Ottobar tonight, 4/5, so get out and see a truly unique act!

Following up to headline was Andrew Bird, established folk pop virtuoso. Supporting his new albm, Are You Serious, he put his multiinstrumental prowess (violin, guitar, and whistling) on full display for a sold-out audience. Engaging, humorous, and packing a serious set of pipes, his music reached into the soul and emitted a warmth reminiscent of innocence and home. Check out his latest video below and I highly encourage listening to the new album. -Jonathan Goodwin

Oy NYC, and NJ based bands and artists!

You can win an online interview with The Deli through Manhattan’s legendary rehearsal studio The Music Building, just sign up here by April 15, 2016.

The Folks at The Deli

Some of you may wonder if we are partial to psychedelia… after an issue like this one, you’ve got your answer! We just stumbled upon single "Maker’s Script" by Brooklyn’s Miracle Sweepstakes, and got the music-triggered equivalent of a "wingboner" (it manifests itself in writing a blog post in under 2 minutes) The trio mixes all kinds of psychedelic references (we hear Sid Barrett, The Beatles, The Dukes of Stratospheres, and Sonic Youth among others) to build multifaceted music that’s as surprising as it is enjoyable. You can see them live tonight (April 6th) at The Gateway.

Back in January, New York folk pop duo Supersmall released its resplendent debut album, ‘Silent Moon.’ Starting with the guitar-sunned “A Better Life,” (streaming) which carries forlorn souls towards the titular destination with intriguingly novelistic lyrics, and featuring the similarly romantic title track, the nine-song effort tackles such serious themes as the passage of time and solitude with a refreshingly warm hand. – Zach Weg 

With reverb laden guitar sections and long instrumental progressions interspersed in their work, the Brooklyn psych rock band Caverns builds a sound reminiscent of the 60’s and 70’s prog rock scene. With a dreaminess laced into every song, and guitar riffs that sound like slow bursts and plops of neon bubbles in a lava lamp, EP Tonche. dwells between late Pink Floyd’s placid psychedelia (Ten Feet Tall), atmospheric pop (Ghosts) with interespersed hard rock elements, through sudden energetic bouts. Catch them tonight (April 5th) at Rough Trade with BRIDGES and Manic Pixi. – Adriana S Ballester

All lasting musical projects require some degree of reinvention to keep inspiration and curiosity alive, and NYC’s "ex" orchestral project Cuddle Magic just came out with a new single that displays a sonic transition towards a more electronic sound, without giving up the signature delicate melodies and intimate, sparse atmspheres. Counter intuitively, "Trojan Horse" (streaming below) was written by Benjamin Lazar Davis and Bridget Kearney during their 2014 trip to Africa – well, admittedly, electricity exists in many African countries… The track will be featured in upcoming album "Ashes/Axis."