We were very impressed with Half Waif‘s performance at our B.E.A.F. Fest this past June. The duo led by American/Indian/Irish/Swiss songwriter and programmer Nandi Rose Plunkett treated us to a nuanced and weell performed set of electronic, mostly mellow tunes. This new video for single "Ceremonial" perfectly translates in visual terms the band’s simple but creative approach to pop music.

DELI OFFICIAL CMJ SHOWS ANNOUNCED, FULL SCHEDULE HERE 

There’s no shortage of music with an eighties tinge these days, but that’s not to say there isn’t room for more. In Lazer Cake‘s music, rhythmic synths throb under exultant melodies and chiming beats, resulting in a twitchy nervousness readymade for the indie dancefloor. Earnest vocals from Lazar singer/drummer Robby Sinclair are backed by dynamic washes of synth via Alan Markley, swaying guitars from Tom Deis and Grant Zubritzky’s punchy bass. New romanticism under stress becomes pure expression. You’ll have an opportunity to see Lazer Cake live at The Deli’s official CMJ show at Rockwood Music Hall on October 22nd. – Francesca Baker

If you’re feeling nostalgic for the vintage rock sounds of the ’50s and early ’60s, you can turn to Jeremy & The Harlequins. On October 10 the band will bring their barebones sound — classic, yet reinvigorated with impassioned, heavily delayed vocals –  to Pianos for The Deli’s CBGB’s Fest Rock’n’Roll Revival Show. On the bill also the VeeVees and other vintage sounding groups.

The band is also taking this opportunity to premiere on our blog this uhmmm…. stylish video NYC based performance artist, Lady Alchemy, was inspired to direct, shoot and star for the band’s latest track, "Sunlight in the Rain." Apparently, no male human being was involved in the creation of this video!

LINKS: Read JP Basileo interview with Jeremy & the Harlequins.

Jefferey Lewis has been recording New York anti-folk heart-bleeders since the 90’s.  He was and is a staple in the anti-folk movement among contemporaries like The Moldy Peaches and Lach to name a few.  His lyrics are incredibly literate and are always an insightful exploration of language and expectations. They mold into long tangents of candidly crafted sentences which unfold into beautiful stories of life and living, no surprise as he’s also a successful comic as well as musician.  On October 4th he will be joined by noir chanteuse, Shilpa Ray (who will be playing our CMJ showcase at Pianos on 10.24) and  balanced out by the experimental-punk trio Palberta.  Be sure not to miss it! -Jake Saunders @The_Colonel63

The just released two-track EP “Psychic Slack” from Brooklyn rockers Chimes is presented as something of a genre defining statement, featuring an evident shift from shoegaze influences, embraced in the previous single, to a style more indebted with psychedelia and punk. Side A’s “Total Sunflower” alternates between Winston Scarlett’s bass guitar driven forward throttle and vocalist/guitarist Jesse Benicaso’s casual near-spoken-word verses. Pulsating guitar drone wig outs from Jesse and guitarist Linda Chen modulate with unhinged abandon, while Sarah Peterson’s rock solid beat never falters underneath. B-side “Rinso” focuses on heavy flanged guitar wash pans throughout the stereo field as female fronted tandem-vocals take a turn. The tracks longer form (4:45 in length) provides more room for instrumental forays and an extended ambient end-out. – Dave Cromwell

For those familiar with his straight-forward yet multi-dimensional lyrical escapades, this is a highly anticipated release. Homeboy Sandman is one of those rappers who, by saying exactly how he feels, pulls you directly into his corner and gets you rooting for him. His style and approach breathe new life into the art of rap. Like halfway into the video for the single “Problems” he says, “I’m surrounded by Hipsters, what does that say about me? Maybe I’m not being honest with myself. Hipsters love independent movies, shit, I love independent movies, actually I just like independent movies, so I guess I’m cool there.” His honesty pushes us to be more honest with our own thoughts, styles, and self-perceptions. Whatever problems he may have, making great memorable music isn’t one of them. – BrokeMc

Sometimes names don’t really matter – Vomitface is a force to be reckoned with. The nausea afflicted Brooklyn trio just released this very cool video for their tense, explosive single "Sloppy Joe," which plods along with uber-saturated bursts of noise. Check it out!

Drone-Pop Brooklynites Lazyeyes are back with a new single entitled "Islip" that introduces their upcoming EP, to be released later in 2014. The track, named after the Long Island town famous for… an ’80s garbage incident, has the melodic flair of Morrisey and the driven darkness of Interpol. The group is scheduled to play Rough Trade on 09.26 with LA’s SWIMM and The Henry Millers.

Another round of congratulations are in order for The Deli Readers’ Best of NYC 2014 artist, Late Cambrian: The band just announced a (noteworthy) month long European tour with Wheatus and MC Frontalot, starting on September 30, and featuring more than 20 dates in the UK and Ireland and a few in continental Europe. The rock pop quartet, whose contagious live energy we witnessed in person at our latest B.E.A.F. fest, will be releasing their new full length ‘Golden Time’ in November, and unveiled a few singles from it – check out "Throwing Shades," streaming below. – Photo by Jeong Park

Bands that last are often tied by bonds developed during their high school years (or earlier). New York natives Jack and Eliza have been chums since childhood, which explains the genuine warmth of their two-way harmonies. The folk-pop duo’s style is simple: two electric guitars and male/female voices, all blending in the most natural way imaginable. Two singles available on Soundcloud — "Secrets" and "Hold the Line" — went viral earlier this year channeling the relaxed, "beachy" atmosphere of Real Estate in a folkier, sparser approach. Today the band is releasing their debut EP ‘No Wonders,’ featuring those singles plus three more songs – you can find it on Spotify and iTunes, or buy it from their website. The record release party will be hosted at Baby’s All Right on 10.01. The band will be performing at The Deli’s CMJ Rootsy Stage at Rockwood Music Hall on October 22nd.