Dear Deli Readers,

We have finally reached the end of the road for The Deli’s Best Emerging Chicago Artists Poll. As usual, it’s been a lengthy, exhausting, painstaking journey through an abundance of numbers, band names, and some seriously rad tunes. Now, before we get to our list of this year’s Top Performers, we would like to thank our wonderful, knowledgeable jury of local music experts/enthusiasts (which you can view below), dedicated Deli writers and all those who took the time to check out our nominees and cast their votes. You’re the best, and we wouldn’t be able to do this without you!

The Deli Chicago Jurors
Eric Muhlberger (So Far Sounds), Brendan Losch (Blogger), ERIC SCHELKOPF (The Total Scene), Robert Glick (Reggies' Music Joint), Coleman Brice (Cole's Bar), Elle Quintana (Reggieislive), Consequence of Sound (Year End List), Mike Gebel (Empty Bottle), Aragon Ballroom ), Double Door (Jesse Ewan), Jim Kopney (Music Writer), Jason Behrends (The Deli Magazine), Matt Baron (Coach House Sounds), Thalia Hall Events, Bill Valentina (Music Writer), Paolo De Gregorio (The Deli Magazine).

And now, without further ado, CONGRATS to…

1. Post Animal is a band of psych poppers that knows how to capture the imagination. Their songs are structured around sweet-sounding hooks and round, groovy basslines while the timbre is sugarcoated in atomspheric reverb. They've mastered the art of taking simple, starightforward pop into the weird and sometimes mysterious realm of psych, making them a must listen for Chicago psych fans. 

2. Lala Lala offers a refreshing dose of female energy to a male-dominated punk scene. Their songs drip with raw emotion, pulling the listener in a multiple directions from rage to heartache to bliss. With subtle harmonies that dance across beds of fuzz and distortion, the trio captures the kind of adolescent, coming-of-age sentiment that proves perfectly nostalgic. 

3. Ne-Hi creates the kind of indie rock that just won't leave the mind. They use jangly, reverb-soaked guitars to piece together delicious little tunes that are powerful in their simplicity. In a musical climate increasingly devoid of real instrumentation, they offer a glimmer of hope for listeners who love guitar-based bands.

4. Oops 

5. Jessie Winslow

6. Mano 

7. So Pretty

8. Natlie Grace Alford

9. Furious Frank  

10. Robbie Fulks 

Below are more of this year’s Chicago Top Performers…

11. Robbie Fulks
12. Archie Powell & The Exports
13. Todd Kesler
14. DIM
15. Varsity
16. monakr
17. Saba
18. Jamila Woods
19. Hood Smoke
20. Tara Terra
21. Al Scorch
22. Robert Rolfe Fedderson
23. releases Parent
24. Glyders
25. Yeesh
26. Melkbelly
27. releases Dehd
28. Emily Blue
29. Ravyn Lenae
30. The Right Now

If you're a fan of trippy lo-fi folk rock much like that of, say, Kurt Vile or Kevin Morby, and you're NOT already listening to Portland's Jackson Boone, you're majorly missing out on some serious misty magic. A natural born songwriter, Jackson has been making music and playing festivals around the country since 2014. Today, he's releasing a new full length and gearing up to hit the road in support of it.

Organic Light Factory was inspired by the continual changes Jackson and his band the Ocean Ghosts experience as a result of their constant songwriting and touring. The songs are like a diary of their journey so far, showing personal transformation as well. "Don't" and "Mystic Winds (from the East)" are all we've heard on it so far, so you'll have to catch the rest of the tracks at the album release show/tour kickoff.

Head over to Mississippi Studios tonight at 9pm to hear the album performed live and in full, say goodbye the band and catch some sets from Cat Hoch, Sinless and Wave Action as well. 

We've been following NYC's Jasmine Golestaneh for a while now, and always found her music compelling - maybe because we grew up listening to tense and dark post punk music. Her current project, Tempers, offers a dark brand of electronic pop that suits her deep and intense soprano. The duo just released a new five track EP entitled 'Fundamental Fantasy,' which develops their sound in a more melodic direction, without necessarily embracing the sunny side of life. The band will be playing several shows next week in Austin, including one at Hotel Vegas on March 16. Check out single 'Tail in My Mouth' (streaming below), and last year's video for 'Undoing' - from their debut album 'Services', which we missed to highlight.

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