Brooklyn’s Electro Pop brother and sister duo Paperwhite defines itself as a ‘dream-pop’ act in its Facebook bio, and although that’s not necessarily false, fans of the genre’s pioneers like Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star will not find any of those references in their music. Paperwhite’s dancy tracks conjure up visions of breezy summer afternoons of the 80s, spent at the beach somewhere in Europe, and those dancy but thoughtful hits that accompanied them. Some critics gather those tunes under the ‘sophisti-pop’ label: think Pet Shop Boys, Prefab Sprout or Swing Out Sister, to name a few. The dreamy element is there, but camouflaged as a fuzzy memory of happy days that went by too fast – no wonder one of their singles is entitled ‘Take Me Back’ (streaming). The duo has three truly solid songs up on their Soundcloud profile, and each one of them got more than 100k plays, which is quite impressive. The next challenge for them is to translate this success to the stage.

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

The Yum Dee Days is the latest Brooklyn band to catch us off guard with a record we entirely missed when it came out in July 2013 – although it must be said that the guys don’t seem too interested in promoting their music, since we have found no traces of their name in our inbox or digital submissions, and they’ve received very little coverage from other music blogs (they don’t even have a Facebook profile – the heresy!!!). They play live though, and are working with a really good booking agency, which means that they are actually hoping to go places, and rightly so, because their debut EP "It’s All Happening" is a small gem. This is one of those lazy records that entertain and charm in gentle ways, mostly through quality, original songwriting, and subtle influences as conflictual as Psych Rock (‘Everybody Knows Nobody Cares’ – streaming) and 60’s style crooning (‘The Future Is A Drag‘). Thinking about it, you can’t really expect a band with songs bearing this kind of titles (add to the list ‘Hangin Out for Days‘ and ‘King Slacker‘), to be even remotely interested in self promotion or taking press photos, right? Well, some say that relaxation is the secret of inspiration, so maybe that’s a good approach to a career in music – may a chill wave carry them far!

We added ‘Everyone’s Your Friend‘ to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

They say that it’s almost impossible to recover from a bad first impression, but when three dudes choose a band name like Cretin Stompers (pictured) it is obvious that they are not interested in impressing anybody… Nonetheless, this is what you may call a bicoastal supergroup of sorts, featuring members of Wavves and Jay Reatard (from LA) and Brooklyn’s own BIG MUFF RADIO. Their debut record ‘Looking Forward To Being Attacked‘ is quirky enough to deserve the "cretin" denomination – together with the ‘fun’ one – with its bizarre arrangements, insane bursts of madness, recurrent super high pitch shifted vocals, and an overall approach that’s somewhat reminiscent of a crazier, lo-fi, garage pop version of early Flaming Lips or Mercury Rev. It sounds like the high pitch vocal trick comes from BIG MUFF RADIO’s ‘hat,’ since 100% of his latest record ‘The Immaculate Collection‘ features that effect. He will be performing at Baby’s Allright tomorrow (09.10) with WAVVES.

Stillness in music is appreciated by few, but this doesn’t prevent artists like Megafortress to devote themselves to it. The project of Brooklyn based artist Bill Gillim just unveiled the first single from the debut album ‘Believer,’ scheduled for a November release. "Live In Grace" (streaming) is a brave flirt with emptiness, that employs a few layered synth drones and Bill’s poetry to convey the uncertainty of life and its fundamental loneliness.

If Anamanaguchi created (more than) a cult following by mixing indie rock guitars with sounds produced by a hacked old Nintendo gaming console, NYC trio Crying could very easily take 8 bit indie rock to new heights. Their vintage video-game of choice in this case is a Game Boy (Nintendo again!), tweaked by guitarist/nerd Ryan Galloway. That very basic, but so much fun hand held gaming device conjures up memories of innocence that are perfectly matched in style by Crying’s bizarro but super cute pop songs. In the band’s latest EP ‘Get Olde’ – self released last year and recently picked by Run For Cover Records – Elaiza Santos’ vocals tame the music’s effervencence with the perfect amount of tenderness, charm, and thoughtfulness, carving melodies that are never banal. What’s even more impressive, there isn’t one weak song on the 6 tracks on the record. Check out Bodega Run, streaming below, and see them 

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

Dinosaur Feathers first emerged from Brooklyn’s sweaty DIY scene as an irrepressibly upbeat synthesis of indie rock & world music influences, replete with intricate soaring vocal harmonies. The group then charted a course from tropical leisure to nervy beach rock via substantial touring with acts like Built to Spill and Peter Bjorn & John. Most recently, master of ceremonies Greg Sullo committed to an extended stay in Oakland, where he found himself progressively drawn toward Motown soul & funky R&B – from Smokey to Chaka, Prince to Janet. His vocal performances on CONTROL clearly reflect an affinity for such material, supported by a catalog of disparate secondary influences, from Scott Walker to Drake.

Once described by this blog as the "rootsy rock singer with the West Coast vibe", Marco Argiro has come across our radar once more, with his new band Marco With Love. Stemming from classic indie rock influences and rootsy vibes, Marco With Love’s most recent tracks are the new music videos, "In The Shade" and Ramones-themed "Will You Remember Poison Heart". ‘In The Shade’ encapsulates the band’s heartfelt melodies and lirycal intensity, while ‘Poison Heart’ plays with 60s pop and a crooning style somewhat reminiscent of Argiro’s Florida origins – a state that like no other brings back images of the swinging sixties. In anticipation for their debut album out late 2014, you can see Marco With Love at R Bar on 9/18. – Sammie Spector

 Anyone who’s seen Sean Barna live knows he’s the most passionate performer in DC. Barna’s new EP, Cutter Street, is a culmination of years of desire, experience, ambition and heart. Self-described as "slutty folk," Barna’s music music reminds me most of the soulful and woeful Irish style, with a performance and lyrics reaching Van Morrison levels of exuberance, drama, and emotional honesty. Sean Barna, winner of the DC Area Deli Artist of the Month, is a force on stage, a delight in person, and a performer to watch at any given opportunity. You can go watch him for free, tonight (6/9), at The Lot (@ Atlantic Plumbing–behind the 9:30 Club), starting 7PM, in DC.  –Natan Press

 Pree’s new single, "Two Feet Shy," is their best yet. The lead single off their new record, Rima (Paper Garden Records), "Two Feet Shy" is a delightful and bright jumble of nerves and hope. The off-kilter arrangements of chiming guitars and ringing keys swirl around May Tabol’s sweet warbling jazzy vocals. A thick kick-drum in the opening section beats like the heart of a nervous lover, creating as much anticipation in the listener as the narrator. It’s a moving song, with glistening tones and splashes of color, perfect for a walk with headphones on through the cool breezes and dancing leaves of the approaching autumn. Rima is set to drop in February of 2015. For now, we eagerly look forward o more singles and you can catch Pree on tour across the country. –Natan Press
 

Told Slant is the musical project of Brooklyn-based Felix Walworth currently featuring Oliver Kalb, Gabrielle Smith and Emily Sprague. After unceremoniously dropping their 10 song LP ‘Still Water’ on bandcamp two years ago in August 2012 (and garnering very little response as a result) the ‘bedroom punk’ band officially re-released the album earlier this year with Broken World Media and embarked on an almost-national tour with NY pop band Crying. A sorrowfully beautiful collection of songs, the album trickles along quietly at a slow pace allowing the listener to fully immerse themselves in the intensity of Walworth’s dark and searching lyrics. Each song reads like a carefully crafted essay, honestly and artfully exploring relationships (and their dissolution), love, depression, confusion and the human condition. Listen to the full album here or even better purchase it on 12" vinyl via Broken World Media. – Brescia Mascheretti

We’ve been blogging about ghost folk songstress Wise Blood almost non stop in 2014, in August she released this single ‘Hang On’ from the upcoming full length that should see the dark of the night next month, on Mexican Summer Records. Check out the interview we did with the artists a few weeks ago, link below.

LINK: Corinne Bagish Interview with Weyes Blood

Habibi might be the only Brooklyn band with Algeri (Algeria) as their most engaged city in their Facebook profile that actually doesn’t pump up their numbers through hacking (by the way, bands who do that should stop now!). Yes, because the all female quartet not only features among its ranks Rahill Jamalifard (who has a Persian background), but also chose as a name the Arabic word for "my beloved," and claims middle Eastern influences in their sound. But even though the latter claim rings true, 60s bubblegum pop and garage elements are way more noticeable, at least in their 2013 debut, self-titled album on Burger Records. Check out single ‘I Got The Moves’ below, and see them live at the Wick on 09.12 – the second date of their east coast tour with Shonen Knife.

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