Mykki Blanco’s “NYC DOGS” Is Gritty, Genre-Blended Chaos in the Best Way Possible

Mykki Blanco has never been one to color inside the lines, and their latest release proves they’re still operating entirely on their own wavelength. As the third single off the upcoming album CAFE PARADISO (landing September 4 via Transgressive Records), “NYC DOGS” is a raw, electric punch that drags garage-rock grit, blues, and funk straight through the mud of downtown Manhattan.

If your rotation needs something with actual teeth, this is the one.

A Love Letter to the Concrete Jungle

Right out of the gate, a heavy, driving guitar line sets the pace, capturing the frantic, beautiful mess of city living. It doesn’t sound engineered for a sterile TikTok trend; it sounds like walking down an avenue at 2:00 AM when your ears are still ringing.

Giving some context behind the whole project, Mykki explained:

“CAFE PARADISO is a record for city kids. It’s heavily inspired by New York, but the New York of now, which isn’t parochial but transatlantic. CAFE PARADISO is also global. It’s a series of vignettes that speak to the lives lived inside the concrete jungle.”

It makes total sense when you look at the roots. Recorded right in New York—the city Blanco first ran away to at 16—the whole record feels like a homecoming, even with all the edges left rough.

Building Up to CAFE PARADISO

“NYC DOGS” comes right on the heels of earlier teasers like “Butt Sex,” “Little Feet” (featuring Ian Isiah), and “Breakaway.” Piece by piece, these tracks are mapping out CAFE PARADISO, which follows up 2022’s Stay Close To Music and the Postcards From Italia EP.

If these singles are any indication, the new album is going to completely sidestep any rigid genre labels—jumping effortlessly between experimental art-pop, garage-rock urgency, and deeply personal storytelling.

Catch Them Live This Autumn

Mykki is taking CAFE PARADISO on the road with an extensive UK and European tour hitting some killer intimate venues this fall.

Selected Dates:

• October 17: Hamburg, Hafenklang

• October 31: London, Moth Club

• November 3: Glasgow, Hug and Pint / Leeds, Belgrave Hall

• November 5: Manchester, Deaf Institute

• November 6: Newcastle, Zerox

• November 10: Brighton, Concorde 2

“NYC DOGS” is out everywhere now, and you can pre-order CAFE PARADISO ahead of its September 4 release.