It's time to tackle the last category of our open submissions for the 2015 edition of our Best of NYC Poll for emerging artists: ALT ROOTS! You can see the results we published so far here.

SUBMISSION CATEGORY: ALT FOLK

Total submissions in this category: 13

Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC), Jordannah Elizabeth (The Deli San Francisco), Zach Weg (The Deli NYC).

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

1. Mappa Mundi- 7.8 (out of 10)

 Almost a year ago exactly, New York chamber pop six-piece released ‘At Sea,’ which is more of a sonic novella than a traditional EP. On such wistful, guitar-strummed songs and horn-sloped tracks such as “So Obscure” and “Mirabelle” (streaming below), the Adam B Levine-led band imbued poignant scenes of love and loss with a literary purity that was not only impressive in its vividness but preciously moving in its effect. Mappa Mundi plays Pete’s Candy Store on 2/5.

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2. Big Thief- 7.7 (out of 10)

Almost sounding like an indie folk version of Allen Ginsberg’s eternal poem ‘Howl,’ “Masterpiece” (music video playing below) by Brooklyn’s Big Thief is a guitar-fuzzed portrait of people searching for serenity. Especially memorable with the soothing vocals of Adrianne Lenker, the poignant song marks Big Thief—which released the quietly strong ‘side-as’ two years ago—as a group not just that conveys, but almost, celebrates pain. Big Thief, currently on tour with Here We Go Magic, plays The Bowery Ballroom on 2/18.

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3. Echoscape- 7.7 (out of 10)

On the May-released ‘Square Two’ EP, Brooklyn “math folk” project Echospace (aka Satoshi Inoue) doesn’t so much play the guitar as conure it into being. On such sweetly fleeting songs as “Rainsong” or “Undulating Place,” one marvels at the deeply deft musician’s ability to convey the deepest of emotions with a single strum. Echospace plays The Shop Brooklyn on 1.29.

Honorable Mentions: Brooms, Ransom Pier, Brother Valiant, Out of System Transfer, Juliet K Seldomo

- Zach Weg

More results from the open submissions for The Deli's Best of NYC 2013 Poll for Emerging Artists - these are for the ALT FOLK category.

We define ALT FOLK the genre played by musicians who are trying to redefine traditional American music, or by songwriters with an edge. This is a budding scene in NYC, hence the high number of submissions and qualified artists. We were happy to see some truly talented artists here - check out those scores!

Total submissions in this category: 34

Artists Qualified to the next stage (Readers' Poll, starting around 01.15):

1. Poor Remy - 9.16 out of 10.
2. Suzanna Choffel - 9
3. Brooms - 8.83
4. Cassandra Jenkins - 8.66

Honorable Mentions (scores above 7):

Bird Courage, Great Elk, Don Ryan, Erin Barra, Són Boom, Tall Tall Trees, Gandhi, Inland Traveler, /_\drian Daniel, Orly, Robin's Egg Blue, St. Lenox, Cheap Blue Yonder, The Butcher Knives.

Jurors: Jason Behrends (Deli Chicago), Jake Reed (Deli New England), PDG (Deli NYC)

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

The Deli's Staff

In case you missed it, Brooms' latest release from last year, 'Fuzzy Waters,' is about as close to New Orleans as you're liable to come while still being stuck nearer to the Hudson. If lead singer Matt Cascella's hoarse tenor doesn't pull you in with his enchanted screams in tracks like 'Something Happened Along the Way,' just wait until you hear some of the brilliant orchestrations behind band mate Brett Crudgington's horn and string arrangements (and I think I may have heard a toaster in there somewhere too) found throughout the ride. This is singer-songwriter music for fans of early Randy Newman, or late Tom Waits, operating by a simple and effective policy: just because you're baring your soul, it doesn't mean you can't have a little fun. Check out 'Front of the Plane' below. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

The full results for the NYC Year End Poll's ALT FOLK submissions are here.

We call "Indie Pop" Pop music for the sophisticated minds. This genre achieves it's "pop" status through melodic quality and uptempo bpm, while maintaining an "indie" edge through mild sonic experimentation and careful avoidance of cliches. The bands who submitted in this genre deviate from the mainstream with their unique sound and talent.  

Total submissions in this category: 45

Artists Qualified to the Poll's Next Stage (starting soon):

1. Dalton - 8 (Out of 10)
1. Cultfever - 8
3. The Henry Millers - 7.83

Honerable Mentions (Score Above 7.16)

The Great American Novel, Battle flags, Brooms, RAILBIRD, Miracles Of Modern Science, The Universal Thump, St. Lenox, Hollands, Rebecca Brandt, Deb Oh &, the Cavaliers, Sinem Saniye, Emanuel & The Fear, Ludwig Persik. 

Jurors: Lucy Sherman (Deli Contributer), Hillary Anderson (Deli New England), QD Tran (Deli Philly)

The Deli's Staff

Brooms dabble in and out of musical worlds that flirt with sonic invention while exploring domestic dramas like cleaning a girlfriend's shower and dealing with messy cats. Indeed, this is the stuff of life, and as singer-songwriters like Randy Newman have done before, the duo of Matt Cascella and Brett Crudgington are sweeping it all into their inviting and lush soundscapes.

The video (streaming below) for first single 'Barracuda Belly' (directed by Brett Haley) features young lovers awkwardly exploring the mess of new relationships against Coney Island's backdrop. Taken from debut record 'In the Backyard,' it's filled with embarrassing reminders of how difficult it is to manage butterflies (or in this case barraacudas) while hanging out with a new lady and attempting to eat ice cream at the same time. See the video below, and check out the band when they play at Sycamore Bar on Dec 15th. Check out also the other single "Balding," below. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Brooms (Music Video) - Barracuda Belly from Brett Haley on Vimeo.