At the 2014 edition of the CMJ Music Marathon, Brooklyn’s Slothrust will be one of the NYC bands to keep an ear on (or two). Offering a very personal reinterpretation of the loud/quiet/loud sound of the rock of the 90s (but sparing us from the raspy vocals revival), their 2013 album ‘Of Course You Do’ has been a little bit of a sleeper, but allowed the band to keep gaining momentum and conquering fans with each live appearance. They just announced they are scheduled to tour with Cymbal Eats Guitars in the fall and to open for The Kills at the Bowery Ballroom on CMJ Thursday (10.23).

Songs by Slothrust are included in The Deli’s playlist of Best slacker rock/garage songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

On September 23rd, Austin’s edgy bluegrass quintet Whiskey Shivers will release their third full-length album, a self-titled collection which you can now preorder on iTunes to receive a download of their latest single ‘Free.’ Aiming to “knock the dust off roots music,” the five bandmates came together in 2009 to give some passion and grit to the rockabilly sounds of their predecessors. Their boundless energy and obvious camaraderie has allowed them to carve out their own space in the local live scene, becoming regulars at venues like Antone’s. The band is currently touring the US in support of the album, so keep an eye out for a local show and be sure to catch the forthcoming release. – Jillian Dooley

Sirma, a talented and eclectic musician and singer from Turkey, has experienced the many facets of the music industry, and has found a new home in NYC, where she’s working on her first solo project. Assured and steadfast, in her new EP ‘Instincts’ she continues to experiment within the electronic pop format, bringing an almost spiritual intensity to her songs, and contaminating them with the exotic music influences that run in her blood.

LINK: Read Rebecca Blandon interview with Sirma
We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best mellow pop songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

NYC’s Wormburner (a band that has shared the stage with the lines of Violent Femmes and The War on Drugs among others) doesn’t simply play catchy rock’n’roll, they’re also telling a story. Each song by the 5-piece rock outfit has its own narrative, which openly gay front-man Hank Henry explains as stemming from his ability to be someone he’s not, from all the years he spent in the closet.  The band is set to release their third LP ‘Pleasant Living in Planned Communities’ on September 30th via Dive Records, and in support, they’re playing an album release show on September 26th at Mercury Lounge in Manhattan.  Check out their song ‘Today Might Be Our Day’ from the album below.  – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)

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

In an entertainment world that seeks to promote one version of the type of music that rap artists are creating today, I still believe in pure hip-hop and creativity. I still believe in the hip-hop artist’s ability to deliver a message in the music. When I first saw Rahiem Supreme’s video for "JL2M," my beliefs became validated. Bringing the focus back to smooth lyrical ability dancing over boom-bap beat, Rahiem Supreme delivers what I’ll call an artistic masterpiece in a sea of artists who are unable to break free of the hold that "trap rap" seems to have on our culture. Captivating visuals full of "real life" moments such as chillin’ in the crib, and conversations with the homies allows Rahiem Supreme to bare his artistic soul in this video. Straying away from cookie-cutter visuals, "JL2M" comes hard with it’s gritty filters, dark lighting, and impeccable transitions between scenes.

Hip-hop thanks you, Rahiem Supreme. I thank you for renewing my faith in music that I love. –Opal Rose

Johnny Lewis’ tracks are hearty acoustic gems interlaced with perfectly panned ambiance. The Minneapolis songwriter – now based in Brooklyn – manages to create pieces that are equal parts nostalgic and eclectic, adding elements of unfamiliarity to songs that otherwise hit home. He’s recently shared with us a dream-folk track “Familiar Chime” (streaming), a single off of his forthcoming self-titled debut album, which is set to be released on September 23. This will be a bit of a shift from his background in electronic music production, and we’re excited to see what he comes up with this time around. Next week Lewis will perform with his six-piece ensemble at Mercury Lounge in NYC on Monday, September 8th at 7pm. – Jillian Dooley

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

Higher Animals conjure whimsical indie rock certain to tickle your medulla oblongata. Vocalist Mimi Sun croons like a majestic songbird in a technicolor jungle while Orien Longo, the Lou Reed to her Nico, spouts a warm baritone warble in perfect harmony. Their songs vacillate between somber nostalgia and unbridled glee carried by glittery guitars and an unflinching rhythm section, and tend to lean heavily on love and loss, but with lines like “time was wasted on our youth / and I was held to my word / I guess by now you know the truth” they show promise to thoroughly shake some hearts as they diversify their content. In the mean time, you can howl your heartbreak with them on Saturday Sept 6th at Bk Wildlife’s Summer Festival at the Paper Box in Brooklyn.

To compliment the lingering haze of this week’s scorching sun, it would only seem appropriate to fall in love with the psychedelic twang of The Mystery Lights. The New-York-by-way-of-Cali band has uncovered and reintroduced a vintage sound of surf-psych that combines a rock-n-roll heart with a trippy surf mind. Combining the stabby bi-coastal garage resonance of the 60’s and 70’s with occasional flourishing blues riffs and southern-style soloing, you’d think The Mystery Lights were from everywhere (man), but it seems fitting that they are headquartered both in NYC and California. Frontman Mike Brandon, and fellow guitarist L.A. Solano serve as the backbone of the project, while Alex Amini and Nick Pillot play bass and drums, respectively, in New York, and Joe Styles and Steve Miller play bass and drums, respectively, in California: a pretty cool, and ideal setup. When they get back from China, check them out at Union Pool on September 9th. – JP Basileo

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

With a name that encapsulates an undeniable obsession of our society, NYC’s alt folk band Cult of Youth plays music most children and teenager would find scary – and that only the most anti-conformist among twenty-somethings might appreciate. The group has been around since 2007, releasing three records of uncommon originality, that update the American traditional roots music with elements ranging from the noir to the downright scary, hailing from that cauldron of darkness and unresolved tension that is the post punk scene of the early 80s (think Joy Division, Birthday Party, Bauhaus etc.). The band will be performing a rare gig at Greenpoint’s St. Vitus on September 25 – recommended show – and we hear that they are about to announce a new record. (photo by Greg Cristman)

Christine Tambakis might be the Rick James of soul-funk dance parties. Backed by the Party Down Boys (a criminally raging octet of loud horns, rowdy rhythms, and dangerously chic clothing choices), her band The Uptown Party Down will bring your inner freak up to the surface, shake it around on the dance floor, and leave you wondering why you haven’t seen this band live before. Going to an Uptown Party Down show is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and with a new album coming out later this year, now’s the perfect time to get out there and get weird. Check out sexy new video ‘She’ below, starring Crystal Demure from ‘Kinky Boots.’ – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)