Music lovers rejoice, the CMJ Music Marathon is back for year 35. Running five days, the fest is jammed with live performances from afternoon into night featuring both established and emerging acts. In the more well-known camp, this year you’ll find Blonde Redhead, Neon Indian, Titus Andronicus, and Kate Nash. As for the up-and-comers, there are many and sifting through the lot can be quite daunting. To help you in the process, we’ve assembled a list of 15 groups that should be on radar. We’ve left off bands like Glass Animals, Ex Hex, Spider Bags, The Maccabees, The Men, and John Grant, not because they aren’t worth seeing, but because they’ve played New York in the past and already have some recognition in these parts. Rather, we’ve dug a little deeper here to showcase some lesser know groups. Without further adieu, we present our CMJ bands to watch list.

1. Car Seat Headrest
Recently signed to Matador, Car Seat Headrest is the moniker of gifted lyricist Will Toledo. Raised in Leesburg, Virginia, Toledo relocated to Seattle in 2014. After arriving there, he joined forces with bassist Ethan Ives and drummer Andrew Katz and began recording the songs for Teens of Style, the group’s debut LP for Matador which comes out October 30. You can get a sampling of what’s in store below. If you like, there are ample opportunities to catch them at during CMJ.

2. Cosmo Sheldrake
Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer and world traveler, Cosmo Sheldrake is a bit of a boy wonder. Based in London, he’s composed for theater, runs beatboxing workshops and recently released his debut EP, Pelicans We on Transgressive Records. As a performer, Sheldrake is a lone wolf, but he’s able to create voluminous compositions on the fly using a variety of instruments including banjo, loop station, keyboards, sousaphone, accordion and more. Check below for a sampling of this 25-year-old wiz kid.

3. Conner Youngblood
Dallas-born, Nashville-based Conner Youngblood plays roughly 30 instruments on his latest EP The Generation of Lift. Counting Elliott Smith, Gorillaz and Sufjan Stevens as influences, Youngblood is preoccupied with complex instrumentation and simple song structure. You can listen and download his new EP for free now and if you are charmed by what you hear, you can catch up with him at the Fader Fort during CMJ.

4. Drinks
Drinks is the experimental psych-folk-pop project of Welsh singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon and Tim Presley, aka White Fence. We’ve been wrapping our head around their debut LP Hermits on Holiday since it dropped in August. It’s definitely quirky, but we’re hooked. You can see what we’re talking about below.

5. Harts
When a musician draws comparison to Prince, you should probably take note. Such is the case with Melbourne funk rock wunderkind Darren Hart who goes by the musical moniker Harts. Another one of those multi-instrumentalists, Hart plays and records all the parts himself. In 2014, he independently released his 10-track debut album Daydreamer and followed it up in 2015 with EP Breakthrough. He’s known to tour with a drummer, although we aren’t certain he’s bringing one along for his brief US tour, which includes shows in LA followed by his time at CMJ.

6. Hooton Tennis Club
Taking their name from a road sign for a tennis court in North West England, slacker rock disciples Hooton Tennis Club have a healthy sense of humor as evidenced from their song titles. There is “Kathleen Sat On The Arm Of Her Favourite Chair”, and then their Pavement homage, “P.O.W.E.R.F.U.L. P.I.E.R.R.E.”. The group released their debut LP Highest Point In Cliff Town on Heavenly in August. You can get an earful of these British boys’ by taking a listen to the highly addictive “Jasper” below.

7. Nancy Pants
Dropping in from Montreal, Quebec are garage-pop trio Nancy Pants. Formed in 2014, the group consists of singer/guitarist Ohara Hale, Jeremy MacCuish on drums, and Adam Waito on bass guitar/vocals. Check out their video for “Happy” below and if makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside you can catch them at one of their three gigs this week.

8. Methyl Ethel
We’re sonically fascinated with this trio from Perth, Australia. Signed to Remote Control’s label imprint Dot Dash Recordings, Methyl Ethel was established in 2013 around the alt-pop bedroom musings of Jake Webb. The group released their stellar 12-track debut LP Oh Inhuman Spectacle in June. Webb’s androgynous voice and the band’s reverb-soaked guitar sound are simply haunting. Some songs will no doubt remind you of Beach House. They play nine shows during CMJ, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to catch up with them. Check out their video for “Twilight Driving” below.

9. No Devotion
No Devotion is made up of ex-Thursday vocalist Geoff Ricky and former members of Lostprophets. Their debut LP Permanence dropped September 25 on Collect Records and is a deliciously dark mix of synth pop and post-punk. They only have one planned appearance at CMJ, on Wednesday, 10/14 at Baby’s All Right, so you may want to pencil that one in now. Get a taste of sonic goodness below.

10. Palehound
Make way for Boston’s Palehound. Fronted by 21-year-old guitarist and songwriter Ellen Kempner, the indie rock three-piece released their debut LP Dry Food on Exploding In Sound Records in August. The record finds the young Kempner flexing her toned lyrical muscles. Check out “Molly” below and if you like what you hear, the group have several shows planned during CMJ’s festivities.

11. Shopping
UK post-punk trio Shopping appear at CMJ at the start of their first-ever North American tour. Having recently released their sophomore LP Why Wait on FatCat Records, the endearing lot are revved and raring to share their hooky beats this side of the Atlantic. Playing multiple shows at CMJ, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. Get a load of their latest single below, “Straight Lines”.

12. Strange Wilds
Sub Pop power trio Strange Wilds hail from the Pacific Northwest and create ferocious music together. The group are currently touring North America in support of their explosive debut LP Subjective Concepts. You can decide for yourself if you dig on them by checking out “Pronoia” below. They play the Sub Pop/Hardly Art showcase at Knitting Factory on 10/15.

13. The Gotobeds
Recently signed to Sub Pop, Pittsburgh’s The Gotobeds music dwells at the intersection of post-punk and indie rock. They released their raucous debut LP Poor People Are Revolting on Gerard Cosloy’s 12XU label in 2014. Most recently they have been on the road supporting Hardly Art’s Protomartyr, an appropriate pairing. They will be making several appearances at CMJ, including the Sub Pop & Hardly Art CMJ Showcase at Knitting Factory on 10/15.

14. Yak
London trio Yak make their US live debut at CMJ. A garage rocking clan, they are known for their live shows. Recently on tour with Peace, the group have one EP under their belt (Plastic People) and another on the way. No, which contains three tracks, was produced by Pulp’s Steve Mackey and will be released November 13 via Third Man Records. Tune into their official strobe-filled Douglas Hart-directed video for “No” below. They only play two shows at CMJ, so be swift if you want to catch them before they blow.

15. Yung
Danish four-piece Yung make their US debut at CMJ. Signed to Fat Possum, the group are fronted by 21-year-old frontman and songwriter Mikkel Holm Silkjær. You can hear hints of the Replacements in their guitar-centric sound. Below you can watch their new video for “God”. The song is off their EP These Thoughts are Like Mandatory Chores, which is out now.