2015 may be behind us, but we here at the Deli spent the past year with our ears tuned to the future. Now that the dust from our most recent journey around the sun has settled, we're excited to reveal the results of our Open Submissions poll. We asked local Nashville artists to submit their work, and the list below reflects our editors' rankings of what we received. Next we'll be revealing the results of our local jurors' nominations, followed by one more round of voting by our readers and our writers. Stay tuned and keep it coming in 2016, Nashville.

Step Sisters Score: 7.5/10

10 String Symphony Score: 7.5/10

Cosmic Coast Score: 7.33/10

Birdtalker Score: 7.33/10

Smooth Hound Smith Score: 7/10

Damned Rivers Score: 7/10

Annalise Emerick Score: 7/10

Honorable Mentions:

Erin Rae; Robert Sieben's Sidecar Sazerac; Jack Berry; Oh Grandpa; Ashley Leone; The Drag; The Ignorist; Brave Town; Future Thieves; Gnarly Parkers; Michael McQuaid

 You voted, now come out to Mercy Lounge to see your top 8 on Tuesday night!

Treadwell Ford

Headwires 

Birdtalker

Glen Martin

Charlie Oxford

The Breathe In, Breathe Out

The Ponce Brothers

When I'm Older

Certain songs illicit an immediate emotional response. Birdtalker's "Blue Healer" is one of those golden few.

It's like standing in the rain on a July afternoon. It's warm yet biting. Refreshing and purely natural. It soaks you to the bone and reminds you that you are human. And you are alive. Their soul-soothing harmonies are delicately placed on dancing guitar riffs over a simple, steady rhythm; It's enough to break down and cry to. And we need more.

If their very first recording is any indication, Birdtalker are headed for big, big things, and we can hardly wait. -Caroline Bowman