Last we heard from Natureboy’s Sara Kermanshahi was in July 11, 2014 - her post read “Tonight! 8pm! Cameo in BK.” After that, radio silence for two years. That is, until yesterday when she posted once more the info for her upcoming show at Rough Trade. Three years ago we had crowned Natureboy’s “The Sweep” record of the month and eagerly anticipated future works, and though we don’t really know if this means we’ll be getting new songs soon it certainly has us hoping. Kermanshahi’s songs teeter curiously between folk and pop with modern elements, carving out a niche where her moody and evocative tracks blossom exquisitely and delve into the most quiet recesses of our minds. Make sure to see Natureboy play Rough Trade on May 13, you never know when she’ll play next. - Adriana Ballester

Haunting, evocative, dangerous, rootsy and futuristic at once, Natureboy has the ability to pull synthetic designs and lay them down beside folksy intimacies, which gives her an otherworldly charm like no other artist today.

Available July 23rd, her new record 'The Sweep' challenges these worlds to come together like nothing the mysterious singer-songwriter has made yet. Complete with featured vocals from Sharon Van Etten, tracks like 'Never Better' and 'Sugar' bring intimate acoustic folk alongside samples galore, and make it sound as if it's the most natural thing in the world to hear.

Fave song and preview single 'Lexies' gives you a direct portal to singer Sara Kermanshahi's soul. Check it out below and see her crazy live performance (Natureboy has to be seen on stage to experience her properly) on July 27th when she plays Cameo Gallery. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

This song was added to our Soundcloud compilation of best tracks by emerging NYC artists - check it out!

Frankly, this first day of CMJ went a billion times better than I expected. What did I expect? To get lost, for sure, having not been in the city that long. To miss half of the bands I'd listed on some meticulous schedule/map scribbled in my notebook the night before. To be drinking far too much. Ok, maybe that did happen. It's one thing I had to learn, I guess: do not say yes to every drink that is handed to you, because people will be handing you PLENTY of them - that's what happens when you run a Marathon right? - Read Tracy Mamoun's full CMJ report here - In the picture and streaming, Foxygen.

Lord knows it's not easy to start a record label these days. But you could start one for worse reasons than as a way to both immortalize your cat and release singles from Natureboy at the same time. This seems to be the logical explanation behind Kevin Serra's new Bleek Records. Containing an intimate set of heart-on-sleeve artists including Natureboy, Eden Sela (pictured), Cloud Seeding and Heart of Hearts, the label is a home for many of the musical misfits striking a unique path distinct from obvious kinds of representation.

But don't take my word for it. Check out the label's new compilation streaming below and download a fantastic set of songs, many of which appear exclusively here. It's got tracks from Masterface, House of Wolves, my personal fave (for any fan of TV on the Radio) Two Twins, and lots of other stuff your friends probably don't know about yet. - Mike Levine