Neon Indian
Alan Palomo of Neon Indian performing in 2011
Alan Palomo of Neon Indian performing in 2011
Background information
OriginDenton, Texas, US
Genres
Years active2008–present
Labels
Members
  • Alan Palomo
  • Drew Erickson
  • Jason Faries
  • Jorge Palomo
  • Max Townsley
Past members
  • Ronald Gierhart
  • Leanne Macomber
  • Joshua McWhirter
  • Ed Priesner
Websiteneonindian.com

Neon Indian is an American electronic music[1] band from Denton, Texas.[2] The music is composed by Mexican-born Alan Palomo (born July 24, 1988), who is also part of the band Ghosthustler and releases solo music under his birth name and the stage name VEGA. The project has been characterized as defining the 2010s music genre chillwave.[3][4]

The band's debut studio album, Psychic Chasms, was released in October 2009 to favorable reviews. Rolling Stone named Neon Indian one of the best new bands of 2010.[5] Their second studio album, Era Extraña, was released in September 2011, followed by Vega Intl. Night School in October 2015.

History

Beginnings

Palomo was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and later moved to San Antonio, Texas at the age of 5. He relocated to Denton, Texas for college at the University of North Texas.[6] Palomo had already been writing and performing music before the inception of Neon Indian, in his projects Ghosthustler and VEGA, through much of his high school years. Shortly before the release of Psychic Chasms, Palomo said he planned on releasing another album as VEGA, although this did not happen.[7] In an interview, Palomo cites his father as a musical influence, "just because that's how he makes his living—he had a brief stint in the late 70s and early 80s as a Mexican pop star." Palomo also said that he sampled some of his father's material in his work with Neon Indian.[8]

The name Neon Indian was conceived by an ex-girlfriend of Palomo's, Alicia Scardetta, who was also the subject of their song "Should Have Taken Acid with You".[8] The song was originally presented as a musical apology for a missed acid date. Her positive reaction to the song spurred Palomo to continue writing more songs as Neon Indian.[8]

2009–2010: Psychic Chasms

Neon Indian's debut album, Psychic Chasms, was released on October 13, 2009 by Lefse Records. The album was designated Best New Music by Pitchfork,[9] and Spin magazine praised it as a "dreamy collage of samples and synth tones".[10] Pitchfork named Psychic Chasms the 14th best album of 2009,[11] while including the songs "Deadbeat Summer" and "Should Have Taken Acid with You" at numbers 13 and 74, respectively, on its list of Top 100 Tracks of 2009.[12][13] The project was associated with the 2000s lo-fi style alternately known as chillwave,[3][4] glo-fi[14][15] and hypnagogic pop,[16] while also incorporating synth-pop.[17][18]

Psychic Chasms was re-released in September 2010, including a set of bonus remixes titled Mind Ctrl: Psychic Chasms Possessed. In the United Kingdom, the reissue also contains "Sleep Paralysist" as a bonus track.[19]

2011–2013: Era Extraña and Errata Anex

Recorded in Helsinki, Finland during the winter of 2010, Neon Indian's second studio album, Era Extraña (a Spanish-language title, literally "Strange Era" or "She Was Strange" or "She Was a Stranger", depending on the context), was released September 13, 2011 by Mom + Pop Music and Palomo's Static Tongues imprint.[20] Soon after the album's release, the band embarked on a North American tour, featuring Purity Ring and Com Truise as opening acts.[21][22]

A short video filmed in Helsinki was released on April 20, 2011, featuring an excerpt from the track "Heart: Attack", the first of a three-part instrumental piece that appeared on the album.[23] It was followed by "Heart: Decay" and "Heart: Release".[20]

On September 4, 2011, the album was made available to stream in full on NPR's "First Listen" for a limited time.[24]

The extended play Errata Anex was released on April 9, 2013, containing remixes of five tracks from Era Extraña by Optimo, Boyd Rice, Patten, Actress and Twin Shadow. Palomo said of the EP, "These remixes are a small collection found along the way of my year on the road while we were touring Era Extraña. The artists were chosen by whatever most consistently blared out of my headphones".[25]

Neon Indian contributed their song "Change of Coast" exclusively to the soundtrack to the video game Grand Theft Auto V, released on September 24, 2013.[26] Their song "Polish Girl" was later added to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC versions of the game.[27]

2014–2019: Vega Intl. Night School

On December 30, 2014, Palomo announced via his Instagram account that he was working on a new album, slated to be released sometime in 2015.[28] the idea of Vega is intended to be really just dance music. Just true, one-speed — a clean, solid version of poppy, dance electronic music. It’s gonna have more groovy bass lines, more straightforward drums."[29]

On May 26, 2015, the single "Annie" was released.[30] On August 13, 2015, Palomo revealed that the band's third studio album would be titled Vega Intl. Night School, which was released on October 16.[31] At the same time, he also released "Slumlord", the second single off that album. Third single "The Glitzy Hive" was released on October 8.

In March 2016, Downtown Music Publishing and indie label Mom + Pop Music announced a joint publishing venture. The first signing as part of the new partnership was a publishing deal with Neon Indian.[32] In an April 2016 interview, Palomo said, "If Neon Indian were to continue at all, it would have to undergo some aesthetic overhaul to remain interesting to me", and that his immediate focus after touring behind Vega Intl. Night School would be filmmaking.[33]

In March 2017, Palomo appeared in director Terrence Malick's film Song to Song, opposite Rooney Mara.[34][35]

In 2017, Palomo composed the score for the science fiction film Everything Beautiful is Far Away.[36]

On November 14, 2019, the single "Toyota Man" was released, marking Neon Indian's first release of new music in four years. The lyrics of the song are in Spanish.

2023–present: Alan Palomo's solo career

On May 1, 2023, Palomo released the single "Nudista Mundial '89" featuring Mac DeMarco, his first single under his own name.[37] He released a second single, "Stay-at-Home DJ", on June 6, 2023, along with the announcement of his debut solo album, World of Hassle, released on September 15, 2023.[38]

Tour and live performances

When performing, Palomo is joined on stage by a live band, which originally consisted of Jason Faries (drums), Leanne Macomber (keyboard, vocals) and Lars Larsen (live visuals).[39] Ronald Gierhart played guitar and sang in the live group prior to 2011, leaving to finish college and begin a solo project called Ronnie Heart.[40]

On February 11, 2010, Neon Indian made their live television debut on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing a medley of the songs "Terminally Chill" and "Ephemeral Artery".[41][42]

Palomo later revised the live lineup, with only Faries remaining from the original backing band. Added were keyboardist Drew Erickson, guitar and synth player Max Townsley, and Palomo's brother, bassist Jorge Palomo.[43] During the 2019 tour, Brad Oberhofer joined on synth.

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[44]		 US Dance
[45]		 US Rock
[46]		 AUS
Hit.
[47]		 JPN
[48]
Psychic Chasms —[upper-alpha 1]11———
Era Extraña
  • Released: September 7, 2011
  • Label: Static Tongues, Mom + Pop
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 74421—193
Vega Intl. Night School
  • Released: October 16, 2015
  • Label: Mom + Pop
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 100—1420—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions Album
US
Sales
[51]		 MEX
Air.
[52]
2010 "Deadbeat Summer" — 27 Psychic Chasms
"Sleep Paralysist" — 17
2011 "Fallout" 7 — Era Extraña
"Polish Girl" — 39
"Hex Girlfriend" — —
2015 "Annie" — 47 Vega Intl. Night School
"Slumlord" — —
"The Glitzy Hive" — —
2019 "Toyota Man" — — Non-album single

Music videos

Year Title Director(s)
2010 "Sleep Paralysist" Aaron Brown and Ben Chappell[53]
"6669 (I Don't Know If You Know)" João Machado[54]
"Mind, Drips" Lars Larsen[55]
2011 "Polish Girl" Tim Nackashi[56]
2012 "Fallout" Lilfuchs[57]
2015 "Slumlord" Tim Nackashi and Alan Palomo[58]
2016 "Annie" Alan Palomo[59]
2019 "Toyota Man" Alan Palomo[60]

Notes

  1. ↑ Psychic Chasms did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 26 on the US Heatseekers Albums Chart.[49]

References

  1. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Neon Indian". AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ Hopkins, Daniel (July 19, 2010). "Watch: Neon Indian Claims Denton During An Interview at the Pitchfork Music Festival". Dallas Observer. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Partridge, Kenneth. "Neon Indian dances itself clean of the chillwave tag once and for all". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 Schilling, Dave. "That Was a Thing: The Brief History of the Totally Made-Up Chillwave Music Genre". Grantland.com. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "Best New Bands of 2010: Free Energy, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Five More". Rolling Stone. March 17, 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  6. ↑ Beta, Andy (September 1, 2023). ""Nudista Mundial '89"". Texas Monthly. p. 64.
  7. ↑ Weiss, Evan (September 15, 2009). "Music: Neon Indian". The Arts Section. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  8. 1 2 3 Dombal, Ryan (August 14, 2009). "Rising: Neon Indian". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  9. ↑ Hogan, Marc (October 13, 2009). "Neon Indian: Psychic Chasms". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
  10. ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (October 6, 2009). "Neon Indian, 'Psychic Chasms' (Lefse)". Spin. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Top 50 Albums of 2009". Pitchfork. December 17, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  12. ↑ "The Top 100 Tracks of 2009: Page 9". Pitchfork. December 14, 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  13. ↑ "The Top 100 Tracks of 2009: Page 3". Pitchfork. December 14, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  14. ↑ "The Decade in Music Genre Hype". Villagevoice.com. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  15. ↑ Sherburne, Phillip (January 5, 2010). "Hey Dude, You Got Chillwave In My Glo-Fi". Rhapsody. Archived from the original on March 24, 2010.
  16. ↑ Aftandilians, Natasha. "Review: All Aboard Neon Indian's Time-Traveling Cruise Ship on 'VEGA INTL. Night School'". Spin.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  17. ↑ Brodsky, Rachel (August 16, 2016). "Neon Indian Goes Full Retro in 'Annie' Video". Spin. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  18. ↑ Aftandilians, Natasha. "Review: All Aboard Neon Indian's Time-Traveling Cruise Ship on 'VEGA INTL. Night School'". SPIN. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  19. ↑ Breihan, Tom (July 23, 2010). "YACHT, Antlers, Toro Y Moi, Javelin Remixes on Neon Indian UK Release". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  20. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (July 18, 2011). "Neon Indian Announces New Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  21. ↑ Pelly, Jenn (December 6, 2011). "Neon Indian Announces Spring Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  22. ↑ Young, Alex (July 20, 2011). "Neon Indian announces fall tour". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  23. ↑ Chris (April 20, 2011). "Neon Indian – "Heart: Attack"". Gorilla Vs. Bear. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  24. ↑ Warren, Bruce (September 4, 2011). "First Listen: Neon Indian, 'Era Extraña'". NPR. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  25. ↑ Minsker, Evan (April 1, 2013). "Neon Indian Remix EP to Feature Twin Shadow, Actress, Optimo, Boyd Rice, and Patten". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  26. ↑ "The Music of Grand Theft Auto V: Three Volume Digital Album Now Available on iTunes" (Press release). Rockstar Games. September 24, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  27. ↑ Goble, Corban (2014-11-17). "Grand Theft Auto V Reveals Expanded Radio Station Tracklists for Game Relaunch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  28. ↑ "New Album". Instagram. December 30, 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  29. ↑ Truly, Yours (19 October 2015). "Neon Indian: An Oral History of VEGA INTL. Night School". Medium.com. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  30. ↑ "Neon Indian's funktastic vacation-in-a-track 'Annie'". Never Enough Notes. Never Enough Notes. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  31. ↑ Camp, Zoe (August 14, 2015). "Neon Indian Announces New Album VEGA INTL. Night School, Shares "Slumlord"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Downtown Music Publishing & Mom + Pop Music Form New Publishing Partnership, Sign Neon Indian to Deal". 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  33. ↑ Prickett, Sam (April 11, 2016). "Neon Indian's Lurid Nightlife". Weld for Birmingham. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  34. ↑ Trunick, Austin (January 13, 2016). "Neon Indian – Alan Palomo on Acting, Scoring, and "VEGA INTL. Night School"". Under the Radar. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  35. ↑ Phillips, Amy (March 7, 2017). "Lykke, Patti, Iggy, and More: Every Musician in Terrence Malick's Song to Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Everything Beautiful is Far Away, IMDb page". IMDb.com. June 21, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Mac Demarco teams up with Alan Palomo on "Nudista Mundial '89"". NME.com. May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Neon Indian's Alan Palomo Announces Debut Solo Album, Shares New Song". pitchfork.com. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Neon Indian". Myspace. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  40. ↑ Freedman, Pete (February 16, 2011). "Neon Indian Guitarist Ronnie Gierhart Leaves Band, Starts New Ronnie Heart Project". Dallas Observer. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  41. ↑ Greg (March 5, 2010). "Neon Indian on Jimmy Fallon : Terminally Chill & Ephemeral Artery Medley". Ventvox. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  42. ↑ Breihan, Tom (February 12, 2010). "Neon Indian Hit "Fallon"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Neon Indian New Album Interview". Thelast-magazine.com. 10 November 2015.
  44. ↑ "Neon Indian – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  45. ↑ "Neon Indian – Chart history: Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Neon Indian – Chart history: Top Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  47. ↑ "ARIA Report: Issue 1339" (PDF). ARIA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 28, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  48. ↑ ネオン・インディアンのランキング | ORICON STYLE (in Japanese; retrieved January 5, 2016
  49. ↑ "Neon Indian Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  50. ↑ "VEGA - Well Known Pleasures". Musicallyproper.com. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  51. ↑ "Billboard.biz". billboard.biz. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  52. ↑ "Neon Indian: Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  53. ↑ Farfan, Nathalie (June 2, 2010). "Video: Neon Indian "Sleep Paralysist" Behind the Scenes (Long Version)". Green Label. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  54. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (July 20, 2010). "Check out the New Neon Indian Video: "6669 (I Don't Know If You Know)"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  55. ↑ Breihan, Tom (December 6, 2010). "Video: Neon Indian: "Mind, Drips"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  56. ↑ Bevan, David (September 13, 2011). "Video: Neon Indian: "Polish Girl"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  57. ↑ Pelly, Jenn (February 3, 2012). "Video: Neon Indian: "Fallout"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  58. ↑ Pelly, Jenn (October 19, 2015). "Video: Neon Indian: "Slumlord Rising"". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  59. ↑ "Neon Indian Shares Retro "Annie" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. 16 August 2016.
  60. ↑ Ehrlich, Brenna (2019-11-14). "Song You Need To Know: Neon Indian's 'Toyota Man'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
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