NYC indie pop-rock band RANN is back with a new single after the release of their 2014 debut album Yellowgun. The track develops the quartet's sophisticated sound in a darker direction, supported by ambiguous lyrics with vague political overtones. The band's '80s pop influences - think INXS and Peter Gabriel from the post "So" years - are brought to life by the deft production of Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Mayer). 
RANN's EP "Renegade Holiday" will be out on February 23rd.

The "our band transcends genres" is one of the most frustrating lines to come across in a band bio, but I'll be damned if Mobile Steam Unit's music is easy to wrangle into one of these nice and clearly defined boxes. The Brookyln-based five-piece, whose sound winds through early 90s alt, nudisco, funk, synthpop and country, manages to not only pull off an eclectic auditory tasting, but does so in such a tight way, that you almost forget that what you're listening to is bananas. It's all the chaotic goodness you'd never expect, but are stoked to have stumbled on.  We're hyped to hear that the band is dropping a new EP of what's sure to be highly virtuosic weirdo rock Oct 30th at Rough Trade, opening for RANN. While waiting you can get your Mobile Steam Unit fix by streaming them below. - Olivia Sisinni

Ladies and Gents,

The Best of NYC 2016 issue is about to hit the streets of NYC, and we are ready to celebrate it with a VERY awesome showcase at new Bushwick drinking hole Sunnyvale, on June 9th!

Mark your (Google) calendars and check out all the seven great NYC artists involved in the bill in this rad compilation! Bigger Poster here!

Dueling left and right stereo channel guitar bursts introduce RANN’s live-in-studio video recording of “Falling,” the latest single off their debut album “Yellogun.” The polyrhythmic structure is soon filled out with precisely placed synth, sharp drums and driving bass figures that allow for dramatic spaces between those notes.  “How does it feel?” introduces the essential vocal hook, with the songs title embedded in the answer line “right before you start falling.”  When the arena sized chorus ultimately emerges, a catchy rising melody hook punctuates each passage through.  The overall feel is reminiscent of ELO’s psych-pop Beatles influenced hits. Directed, edited, and shot by Ryan Ela of Midnight Treehouse Productions, the video makes use of high quality black and white imagery in showcasing the bands impressive live performance.  The band is about to embark on a winter-through-spring tour including featured performances at SXSW, then on to LA and culminating with an end of tour concert at Le Poisson Rouge on April 10th. The band recently won  the Indie Pop section of our Best of NYC Readers'/Fans' Poll for Emerging Artists. - Dave Cromwell

Last week we started publishing the results of the Best of NYC Year End Poll's Open Submissions (find them here), and it's finally time to go indie poppy!

Total submissions in this category: 16

Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC),  Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), PDG (The Deli NYC).

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

1. The City and Horses - 7.33 (out of 10)

Active since the late aughts, The City and Horses is a collective of musicians guided by singer songwriter Marc Cantone and his elegant melodic talent. The variety of instruments featured in their recordings (from flute to strings and horns) will make most people scream "Orchestral Pop!" - and to some extent they would be right! Thing is, the band's arrangements are so tastefully composed that, while listening to their music, you'd be hard pressed to think about an orchestra. You can see the band live at Grand Victory on January 22.

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2. Silverteeth - 7.16

Led by NYC scene veteran Bill Bartholomew (guitar and vocals) and Brazilian bass player Gabriela Rassi, Silverteeth is an excercise in stripping pop of anything superfluous to let the melody and the songwriting shine. Operating in a strictly DIY fashion, this is one of the few bands able to land gigs both at Bowery Presents' venues (they'll play Mercury on February 9th) and at Brooklyn DIY spaces like Palisades. We should hear some new material from them soon, since they were recently invited to record a few tracks at Converse's Rubber Track.

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3. RANN - 7.00

With their refineded sound, stylish melodies and smooth vocals, RANN could be presented as the Prefab Sprout of Brooklyn. Their brand new debut album "Yellowgun" looks back at the so called sophisti-pop of the '80s, while adding to that sound an all NYC edge. The group doesn't shy away from occasional, more aggressive and tense moments (like in 'Magic Number'). They'll be playing at Bushwick's Black Bear on February 20th.

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3. Julian Fulton - 7.00

Imaginative and whimsical, New Jersey's Julian Fulton plays a brand of DIY pop that flirts with the classics of psychedelia, while bringing his own voice, stories and production to the picture. A picture that's as multifaceted as it's enjoyable, like his latest track "Another Tattoo," a complex collage of sounds and melodies in part reminiscent of the production style of the early Beck records, which, remarkably, was written and recorded at home in 24 hours.  Julian Fulton will perform at the Asbury Underground Music & Arts Crawl on January 16.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (artist with a rating above 6):

Dot and Logic, Kirsten Izer, Sam Kogon, flocke, Late Cambrian, Lunifred Benjamin, Modern Diet.

Stay tuned for more results!

The Deli Folks