The churning out of local artists qualifying for our Best of NYC  Emerging Artist 2015 Poll continues with the ELECTRONIC category. In case you missed the previous announcements, we've already published results for Indie, Hip Hop + Other, and Rootsy Pop/Songwriters. This is a rather exciting category, considering the exponential growth of the electronic NYC scene in recent years.

Total submissions in this category: 18

Jurors: Jonathan Goodwill (The Deli DC), Quang Tran (The Deli Philly), PDG (The Deli NYC).

Artists qualified to the next stage (i.e. the Readers' Poll, starting around 01.25):

1. CAFUNÉ - (7.66 out of 10)

Sedona Schat and Noah Yoo's music exists in a perpetual spring (as in the season), so 2015, with its mild summer and incredibly warm winter, might have as well been their year. Sedona's breezy melodies are complemented by Noah's peppy, dancy electronic arrangements. Their single "Warm Body" found lots of love on the internet, and so did their 2015 debut EP "Originals." 

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2. BORN CAGES (7.6)

With their anthemic songs and polished but edgy production, NYC's Born Cages make music that belongs in arenas - in particular their first single "Rolling Down the Hill." Their stand out track "I Just Want the Truth, Baby" (streaming) blends electronic quirkyness with sophisticated crooning a la' Bryan Ferry, showcasing a versitile and talented band with more than one trick up its sleeve. The trio had an exciting 2015, culminated in a fall US tour supporting The Lighthouse and the Whaler and Family Force 5.

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3. Teenage Love (7.5)

Bicontinental duo Katy Gunn (Brooklyn) and Anna Lidell (Copenhagen) charmed us right away with their band Teenage Love's debut EP "Gold." Their tracks balance elegant, jazz informed melodies with an unconventional approach partly reminiscent of some of the most approachable material by NYC electronic experimenteur Laurie Anderson. Hopefully in 2016,  to cultivate this promising project, the two ladies will find themselves on the same side of the ocean more often than not.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS - (Score above 7):

St. Lenox, Nola Wren, Loving You, NEW MYTHS, Syvia, Secret Weapons.

See you soon with another category!

The Deli Folks

Here's another round of bands that proceed to the next phase of our Best of NYC poll for emerging artists, from the normally crowded "Indie Rock" category (everybody wants to be "indie" these days, we had to re-categorize a couple of folk artists and blues rock bands before we got this this list)! This category was a heart breaker, LOTS of really talented artists that should have gone through, but we can't possibly promote more than four of them - sorry!

Total submissions in this category: 19

Jurors: Jonathan Goodwin (The Deli DC), Ryan Mo (The Deli LA), PDG (The Deli NYC).

1. The New Tarot 8.16 - (out of 10)

We stumbled upon the Walker sister-driven group The New Tarot in the summer of 2014 and saw a lot of potential in it. One and a half years later, we are happy to report that at least part of that potential has been developed in the right direction in their 2015 "Stella" EP, and through a live show that's growing in confidence - not to mention the awesomely spooky video for the title-track, streaming below. These ladies have the talent and enough time on their side to take things even further. Don't miss their upcoming show at The Bowery Electric on February 13.

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2. Regret The Hour - 7.83

Currently gracing the top of this very blog as 50% of our Artist of the Month, like this very category's winners, Regret the Hour are fueled by sibilinghood: brothers Nate McCarthy (lead vox/guitar) and Ben McCarthy (lead guitar) lead this group through their second EP "The Far and the Near," which confidently blends indie, alt and roots elements to deliver an intensely emotional and enjoyable record.

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2. The Heavy Howl - 7.83

Brand new NYC/Boston trio The Heavy Howl released their debut EP "New Mistake" in the summer of 2015 - great title by the way. It's an interesting record that manages to be sober production-wise but also catchy in a very peculiar way. The power trio instrumentation is what you would expect from a grunge revival band, and even if the sound is partly reminiscent of the less polished records from that musical wave, The Howl's songs and their interest for textural details are entirely their own. You can see them live at never-heard-before venue Idio Gallery on January 15.

We added this song to The Deli's playlist of Best punk/garage/DIY songs by emerging NYC artists - check it out!

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4. Battle Ave - 7.66

Split geographically between Woodstock and Brooklyn, Battle Ave is a band that also suffer from split personality disorder, as you can easily realize from the opening track of their sophomore 2015 LP "Year of Nod," whose eery video we premiered not long ago. here at The Deli, of course, we dig that, because most great rock'n'roll records aren't normal, and most talented people desperately need a shrink.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS - (Score above 7):

Vaureen, Gillian, HUFF THIS!, The Stewart Dolly, Dear Comrade, The Deafening Colors, Teeth People, The Motor Tom

See you soon with another category!

The Deli Folks

We continue churning out results for the Open Submissions to our Best of NYC Poll for Emerging Artists. Here are the ones who qualify to the next phase of the poll in the category "HIP HOP + OTHER."

Total submissions in this category: 11

Jurors: Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), Ryan Mo (The Deli LA), Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC).

1. DAYAN - 7.33 (out of 10)

Dayan is Laura Dayan and Darko Saric.  Their indie-electronic Latin American folkloric funk is a swelling and pulsing exploration of the darkest corners of the dancefloor.  Laura’s voice beckons from an alternate universe with stories of magic and soul, while Darko maneuvers from House to Shoegaze.  The elements work together weaving a nostalgic longing for places unseen, rabbit holes, wishing wells, forgotten questions. - BrokeMc

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2. I.O.D. - 7.16

21 year old rapper I.O.D. a.k.a. Brownsvillian performed in front of thousands at the 2015 Brooklyn Music Festival, yet he has only six tracks on his Soundcloud.  This dearth obviously works in his favor.  From the raw candor of his “Grief Freestyle” to the spitfire Spanish and English “‘15 Originator (sida A),” I.O.D. demonstrates a fine balance between raw street spit and endearing quirkiness.  His style is still coalescing, but his skill is undeniable, and with Mtv and Hot97 vouching for him, his follow up to the critically lauded “11212” mixtape will only open him up to larger crowds and venues. - BrokeMc

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2. The Vagabondz - 7.16

The Vagabondz, a rap band and collective originating out of Beacon High School, don’t stray too far from Hip Hop’s roots.  Their debut album “Lessons” is an unpretentious, jazzy, trappy swarm of flows reminiscent of The Pharcyde and Project Blowed.  The production feels so authentically West Coast, it’s hard to believe The Bondz rep Manhattan, NYC.  Dropping references from Common to Black Sheep to Mark Morrison, their foundation is as solid as it gets.  Though they’ve matriculated to various colleges, The Vagabondz promise they’ll always find their way back home. - BrokeMc

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Honorable Mentions (score above 6): The Real Mike Wilson

Happy New Year, Deli-rious seekers of new, exciting, emerging music!

If you've been following us for a while, you should know that January is the month when our regional Year End Polls for Emerging Artists are in full bloom!

The first leg of our poll is called "Open Submissions," and, in it, we allow all local artists (in this case NYC ones, since you are reading the NYC blog) to submit their music for consideration. After a screening process involving three of our editors or writers, we pick a few per genre - here are the first results for the Songwriter/Rootsy Pop category!

Total submissions in this category: 18

Artists qualified to the next stage (i.e. the Readers' Poll, starting around 01.20):

1. Pam Steebler - 7.87

We are rarely entranced by bluesy pop/rock, maybe because - to be pulled off properly - the genre requires monstrous chutzpa, as in... "the balls of those who are really good at something." But we've got to concede to Pam Steebler that her "Give In" EP's two opening songs are... "da bomb." "Mind Reader," in particular (streaming below), has the power and the beauty to light a flare of soulful passion even in the heart of the most unflappable of indie rockers.

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2. Laura & Greg - 7.5

Curiously enough, the second placed band in this chart couldn't sound more different from the first - how are these two acts in the same category? The answer is in the word "pop" and "roots" - elements these artists shares, but with different approaches. Laura & Greg's folk pop is gentle, intimate, sparse and DIY. Their peaceful harmonies and placid atmospheres refer back to the folk-pop explosion of the '60s, revising and adapting it to our DIY days.

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2. Afternoon Men - 7.5

Afternoon Men's song and video for single "Parking Lots and Basements" (streaming) has an edge that screams "Manhattan" - you know, that borough offering the "bourgeois" kind of fun. (Oh yeah, you can say that about Williamsburg too!). Whoever wrote that song, certainly knows how to navigate that scene, where sophistication and charm can go farther than good looks - at least with the smart ladies who can support a broke musician! This (besides their obvious talent) is why this band may have a future.

Honorable Mentions: Caitlin Mahoney, The Next Great American Novelist, The Bone Chimes, Ashni, Bill Bartholomew, Diana Zinni, Frank Bell.

Jurors: Michael Colavita (Deli Philly), Cody Wright (Deli Toronto), PDG (Deli NYC)

Stay tuned for more results, and then for the readers' poll!