DETAILS ABOUT THIS SHOW + STREAMING
COMPILATION OF ALL 14 BANDS HERE.

It took us a couple of weeks to come up with a title for this Deli official CMJ show. On Wednesday October 17 at The Living Room we'll have a fair amount of orchestral instruments on stage, from You Bred Raptors'? frantic cello to Cuddle Magic's gentle winds and xylophone, without forgetting the sparse piano lines of Doe Paoro and Starlight Girls' retro flute. But even though all these instruments are borrowed from the classical tradition, all the artists on this bill have a forward looking, at times even experimental attitude. This is why in the end we settled with the label "Post-Chestral", which is a term we are happy to notice nobody used before - at least not since Google was invented! This of course implies that we are either geniuses or terrible-new-word creators...

Early that evening we'll have the noir chamber pop of Friend Roulette , In One Wind's orchestrated experimentations, and DT Rotbot intricate post-rock. Later at night we'll be enterteined by the cinematic and atmospheric music of Industries of the Blind followed by cheerful Philadelphia based collective Dangerous Ponies. (in the picture, Cuddle Magic and You Bred Raptors).


 
 

Cuddle Magic, a 10 piece avant-pop orchestra split between Philly and Brooklyn, is about to celebrate the release of their third album "Info Nympho", which is available for streaming here. The band offers an array of soothing instruments (including glockenspiels, toy piano, and various strings and winds) along with the more standard guitar, bass, and drums. At once playful and haunting, the record thrives on the dual male and female vocals spinning intricate counter-melodies. The rhythm section provides a steady but never banal backdrop, while the less conventional instruments are allowed to take the forefront and guide the listener through truly stellar compositions. The variety of sounds, textures, and arrangement ideas, and the quality of the material showcase a band in its full maturity, mastering an impressive musical vocabulary, ranging from classical counterpoint to math rock influences, without disdaining occasional jazz chords and electronic elements. From opener "Disgrace Note"'s semi-robotic mallets in six fourths, to "Jason" (streaming below) and "Hadwrit", with their beautiful melody and organic arrangements featuring almost any instrument you can imagine, this is a record that manages to be original, moving and memorable - what else can you ask? Catch Cuddle Magic in Bushwick on July 13th, at a new venue named Muchmore. - Bob Raymonda

Composed entirely by classically trained musicians (6 of them), and based in Brooklyn and Philly, Cuddle Magic (#77 in our latest Best of NYC Poll for emerging artists) has been spreading their fascinating music through the world since 2008. Their latest release, "Info Nymph," is a piece of art full of stories, literature and artwork, wrapped into an (very) unusual take on traditional songwriting. The band is both intense and soft, wrapping you snuggly with their mellow vocals while keeping you interested and connected through their quirky orchestrations. - CM

Where does Brooklyn and Philly meet? The answer can be as multi-layered as Cuddle Magic’s music itself. The band, which consists of members from both places, will be having their Philly album release party tonight at Tin Angel. Cuddle Magic will be celebrating and performing their latest release Info Nympho. The group self-describes themselves as a “song writing collaborative” creating their own distinct style of chamber/orchestral indie pop. Songs like “Jason” range from upbeat drumbeats one second to quiet vocal and string measures. The members all contributed their songs on the album, giving you a different perspective throughout Info Nympho. With the help of Kickstarter, they recorded the record in analog form for vinyl. Trumpets, cellos, violins, etc. - it is an orchestra filled with a variety of sounds that never once feels overkill. Opening act Lake Street Dive will get you on your feet with upbeat tunes - just remember to hang in the back or near the wall on the right at Tin Angel. It’s a listening room so listen up, and enjoy the rest of your evening. Tin Angel, 20 S. 2nd St., 8pm, $10, 21+ - Maura Filoromo