Two dudes, a four track, and a singular microphone are the driving force behind vexation, the debut offering by lofi, “tropical country” duo Otra Vez — and that’s really all they needed to make a groovy, kickass record. Endowed by the charm of its palpable crunchiness and compressed vox and available for four dollars and twenty cents on Bandcamp (nice), the album skirts being defined as silly or serious; members DJ O’Loane and Sean O’Hara seamlessly switch between ditties detailing past relationships (“death by 1000 cuts”) and stoney meditations on the virtues of selling out (“fat sandwich”), their detuned guitars and easygoing percussive lines in toe. Recommended for fans of Makeout Videotape, Soko, and John Dwyer deep cuts, give it a listen below, ideally on a rooftop with a couple of buddies, and catch Otra Vez at Our Wicked Lady on April 2nd.. —Connor Beckett McInerney

A healthy dose of wide-eyed Kubrick stares, scattered hand-drawn animatics, and sunburnt, borderline cacophonous guitars characterize “Ordinary Woes,” the new video by NYC indie performer Luke Rathborne, evoking both the unpleasantry of a psilocybin mushroom trip and the quotidian struggles of being a working artist in the city. While the former of these two experiences was a direct inspiration for Rathbrone’s forthcoming LP Again, the latter is best communicated through the song itself — freeform word associations with combined with a wailing chorus against a breakbeat fuzz-laden instrumental backing places his workmanship somewhere between the scuzzy lofi surf punk of outfits like Wavves, with a distinctive drawling vocal performance that’s reminiscent of 90s slacker rock. Give it a watch and listen below, and keep an eye out for his new LP dropping this June.

Brent Penny recently released a new single called "Equal". This is the first new music from the experimental bedroom pop artist since his 2019 debut album, Choose The Right.

You can catch Brent Penny on March 16th at Empty Bottle with 100% Cement, Forced into Femininity, and Stressica.

DIY dream pop crew Orchin will bring their ethereal tracks to Moroccan Lounge on February 23rd, providing a perfect soundtrack to the otherworldly feelings that one might experience during a Mercury retrograde. If communication issues, mood swings, and more frustrations than normal have plagued you throughout this past week, Orchin's music will help you to find a little meditative corner of your mind. Their album Serene dropped last August; tracks like "Othello" and "Care At All" come packed with lush guitars and echoing drums, along with Jeremy McLennan's surround-sound voice. Take a listen to "Usually" from Serene below, and catch a chill moment with Orchin on February 23rd at Moroccan Lounge before you head back into the work week. - Will Sisskind

“Mermaids (Hafgua),” the latest single by New York artist (and erstwhile Deli NYC contributor) Susan Moon finds its niche in the space between minimalistic electronica and sound collage, a disparate collection of textures electronic and analogue. Solitary synths intertwine with the sounds of an ocean tide as Moon’s haunting vocal performance drifts through the scene, contributing to a melancholy, lonely final product. Susan Moon’s stumbling melodic phrasing, alongside her choice to incorporate field recordings embeds this track with a disorienting energy; with no percussive backbone tethering it to a familiar structure, one can’t help but feel lost at sea while listening, themselves at the whim of the artist’s winding, accessibly avant-garde craft. Stream it below, and catch Moon at the Well on February 19th, opening for Renny Conti.