Neon Indian
{{short description|American band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Neon Indian
| image = Neon Indian.jpg
| caption = Alan Palomo of Neon Indian performing in 2011
| landscape = yes
| background = group_or_band
| origin = Denton, Texas, US
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 2008–present
| label = {{hlist|Lefse|Fader Label|Static Tongues|Mom + Pop|Transgressive|Arts & Crafts México}}
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|http://neonindian.com/}}
| current_members =
- Alan Palomo
- Drew Erickson
- Jason Faries
- Jorge Palomo
- Max Townsley
| past_members =
- Ronald Gierhart
- Leanne Macomber
- Joshua McWhirter
- Ed Priesner
}}
Neon Indian is an American electronic music{{cite web |last=Phares |first=Heather |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/neon-indian-mn0002146408 |title=Neon Indian |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=November 5, 2012}} band from Denton, Texas.{{cite web |last=Hopkins |first=Daniel |url=http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/dc9/2010/07/neon_indian_puts_national_glo-.php |title=Watch: Neon Indian Claims Denton During An Interview at the Pitchfork Music Festival |work=Dallas Observer |date=July 19, 2010 |access-date=July 15, 2013}} 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.{{cite web|last1=Schilling|first1=Dave|title=That Was a Thing: The Brief History of the Totally Made-Up Chillwave Music Genre|url=http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/that-was-a-thing-the-brief-history-of-the-totally-made-up-chillwave-music-genre/|website=Grantland.com|access-date=21 March 2017}}
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.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/best-new-bands-of-2010-free-energy-grace-potter-and-the-nocturnals-and-five-more-20100317 |title=Best New Bands of 2010: Free Energy, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Five More |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=March 17, 2010 |access-date=September 11, 2014}} 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.{{Cite news |last=Beta |first=Andy |date=September 1, 2023 |title="Nudista Mundial '89" |pages=64 |work=Texas Monthly}} 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.{{cite web |last=Weiss |first=Evan |url=http://www.theartssection.com/2009/09/music-neon-indian.html |title=Music: Neon Indian |publisher=The Arts Section |date=September 15, 2009 |access-date=October 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227053040/http://www.theartssection.com/2009/09/music-neon-indian.html |archive-date=February 27, 2012 }} 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.{{cite web |last=Dombal |first=Ryan |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/36199-rising-neon-indian/ |title=Rising: Neon Indian |publisher=Pitchfork |date=August 14, 2009 |access-date=July 15, 2013}}
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". 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.
=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,{{cite web |last=Hogan |first=Marc |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13510-psychic-chasms/ |title=Neon Indian: Psychic Chasms |publisher=Pitchfork |date=October 13, 2009 |access-date=October 14, 2009}} and Spin magazine praised it as a "dreamy collage of samples and synth tones".{{cite web |last=Kornhaber |first=Spencer |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/neon-indian-psychic-chasms-lefse/ |title=Neon Indian, 'Psychic Chasms' (Lefse) |work=Spin |date=October 6, 2009 |access-date=September 11, 2014}} Pitchfork named Psychic Chasms the 14th best album of 2009,{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7744-the-top-50-albums-of-2009/4/ |title=The Top 50 Albums of 2009 |publisher=Pitchfork |date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=May 28, 2011}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/9/ |title=The Top 100 Tracks of 2009: Page 9 |publisher=Pitchfork |date=December 14, 2009 |access-date=September 11, 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/3/ |title=The Top 100 Tracks of 2009: Page 3 |publisher=Pitchfork |date=December 14, 2009 |access-date=January 4, 2010}} The project was associated with the 2000s lo-fi style alternately known as chillwave,{{cite web|last1=Partridge|first1=Kenneth|title=Neon Indian dances itself clean of the chillwave tag once and for all|url=http://www.avclub.com/review/neon-indian-dances-itself-clean-chillwave-tag-once-226430|website=The A.V. Club|access-date=21 March 2017}} glo-fi{{cite web|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2009/12/22/the-decade-in-music-genre-hype/|title=The Decade in Music Genre Hype|website=Villagevoice.com|access-date=15 February 2019}}{{cite web|last1=Sherburne|first1=Phillip|title=Hey Dude, You Got Chillwave In My Glo-Fi|url=http://blog.rhapsody.com/2010/01/chillwave.html|website=Rhapsody|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324135415/http://blog.rhapsody.com/2010/01/chillwave.html|archive-date=March 24, 2010|date=January 5, 2010}} and hypnagogic pop,{{cite web|last1=Aftandilians|first1=Natasha|title=Review: All Aboard Neon Indian's Time-Traveling Cruise Ship on 'VEGA INTL. Night School'|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/10/review-neon-indian-vega-intl-night-school/|website=Spin.com|access-date=29 January 2017}} while also incorporating synth-pop.{{cite web |last=Brodsky |first=Rachel |url=http://www.spin.com/2016/08/neon-indian-annie-video-watch/ |title=Neon Indian Goes Full Retro in 'Annie' Video |work=Spin |date=August 16, 2016 |access-date=April 23, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Aftandilians|first1=Natasha|title=Review: All Aboard Neon Indian's Time-Traveling Cruise Ship on 'VEGA INTL. Night School'|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/10/review-neon-indian-vega-intl-night-school/|website=SPIN|access-date=29 January 2017}}
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.{{cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/39521-yacht-antlers-toro-y-moi-javelin-remixes-on-neon-indian-uk-release/ |title=YACHT, Antlers, Toro Y Moi, Javelin Remixes on Neon Indian UK Release |publisher=Pitchfork |date=July 23, 2010 |access-date=July 15, 2013}}
=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.{{cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/43223-neon-indian-announces-new-album/ |title=Neon Indian Announces New Album |publisher=Pitchfork |date=July 18, 2011 |access-date=July 15, 2013}} Soon after the album's release, the band embarked on a North American tour, featuring Purity Ring and Com Truise as opening acts.{{cite web |last=Pelly |first=Jenn |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/44817-neon-indian-announces-spring-tour/ |title=Neon Indian Announces Spring Tour |publisher=Pitchfork |date=December 6, 2011 |access-date=September 11, 2014}}{{cite web |last=Young |first=Alex |url=https://consequence.net/2011/07/neon-indian-announces-fall-tour/ |title=Neon Indian announces fall tour |publisher=Consequence of Sound |date=July 20, 2011 |access-date=September 11, 2014}}
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.{{cite web |author=Chris |url=http://www.gorillavsbear.net/2011/04/20/neon-indian-heart-attack/ |title=Neon Indian – "Heart: Attack" |publisher=Gorilla Vs. Bear |date=April 20, 2011 |access-date=November 15, 2011}} It was followed by "Heart: Decay" and "Heart: Release".
On September 4, 2011, the album was made available to stream in full on NPR's "First Listen" for a limited time.{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Bruce |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/09/04/140122007/first-listen-neon-indian-era-extra-a |title=First Listen: Neon Indian, 'Era Extraña' |publisher=NPR |date=September 4, 2011 |access-date=July 15, 2013}}
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".{{cite web |last=Minsker |first=Evan |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/50152-neon-indian-remix-ep-to-feature-twin-shadow-actress-optimo-boyd-rice-and-patten/ |title=Neon Indian Remix EP to Feature Twin Shadow, Actress, Optimo, Boyd Rice, and Patten |publisher=Pitchfork |date=April 1, 2013 |access-date=September 11, 2014}}
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.{{cite press release |author= |url=http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/51411/the-music-of-grand-theft-auto-v-three-volume-digital-album-now-a.html |title=The Music of Grand Theft Auto V: Three Volume Digital Album Now Available on iTunes |publisher=Rockstar Games |date=September 24, 2013 |access-date=March 23, 2014}} Their song "Polish Girl" was later added to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC versions of the game.{{Cite web |last=Goble |first=Corban |date=2014-11-17 |title=Grand Theft Auto V Reveals Expanded Radio Station Tracklists for Game Relaunch |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/57496-grand-theft-auto-v-reveals-expanded-radio-station-tracklists-for-game-relaunch/ |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
=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.{{cite web|author= |url=http://instagram.com/p/xPz_5sEs-q/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/xPz_5sEs-q |archive-date=2021-12-24 |url-access=limited|title=New Album |publisher=Instagram |date=December 30, 2014 |access-date=December 31, 2014}}{{cbignore}} 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."{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/cuepoint/neon-indian-the-bounce-goes-here-an-oral-history-447fce3ac243|title=Neon Indian: An Oral History of VEGA INTL. Night School|first=Yours|last=Truly|date=19 October 2015|website=Medium.com|access-date=15 February 2019}}
On May 26, 2015, the single "Annie" was released.{{cite news|title=Neon Indian's funktastic vacation-in-a-track 'Annie'|url=http://www.neverenoughnotes.co.uk/2015/05/neon-indians-funktastic-vacation-in-a-track-annie/|access-date=27 May 2015|work=Never Enough Notes|publisher=Never Enough Notes|date=27 May 2015}} 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.{{cite web |last=Camp |first=Zoe |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/59773-neon-indian-announces-new-album-vega-intl-night-school-shares-slumlord/ |title=Neon Indian Announces New Album VEGA INTL. Night School, Shares "Slumlord" |publisher=Pitchfork |date=August 14, 2015 |access-date=August 14, 2015}} 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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aandrdepartment.com/downtown-music-publishing-mom-pop-music-form-new-publishing-partnership-sign-neon-indian-to-deal/|title=Downtown Music Publishing & Mom + Pop Music Form New Publishing Partnership, Sign Neon Indian to Deal|date=2016-03-08|language=en-US|access-date=2016-07-22}} 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.{{cite web |last=Prickett |first=Sam |url=http://weldbham.com/blog/2016/04/11/neon-indian-lurid-nightlife-birmingham-interview/ |title=Neon Indian's Lurid Nightlife |publisher=Weld for Birmingham |date=April 11, 2016 |access-date=May 6, 2016}}
In March 2017, Palomo appeared in director Terrence Malick's film Song to Song, opposite Rooney Mara.{{cite web|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/neon_indian_-_alan_palomo_on_acting_scoring_and_vega_intl._night_school/|title=Neon Indian – Alan Palomo on Acting, Scoring, and "VEGA INTL. Night School"|website=Under the Radar|first=Austin|last=Trunick|date=January 13, 2016|access-date=December 29, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/71725-lykke-patti-iggy-and-more-every-musician-in-terrence-malicks-song-to-song/|title=Lykke, Patti, Iggy, and More: Every Musician in Terrence Malick's Song to Song|publisher=Pitchfork|first=Amy|last=Phillips|date=March 7, 2017|access-date=March 8, 2017}} He also composed the score for the science fiction film Everything Beautiful is Far Away.{{cite web|title=Everything Beautiful is Far Away, IMDb page|website=IMDb.com|date=June 21, 2017|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3605266/|access-date=November 21, 2017}} On November 14, 2019, the single "Toyota Man" was released, marking Neon Indian's first release of new music in four years.
=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.{{cite web|title=Mac Demarco teams up with Alan Palomo on "Nudista Mundial '89"|website=NME.com|date=May 5, 2023|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/mac-demarco-teams-up-with-alan-palomo-on-nudista-mundial-89-3438498|access-date=May 5, 2023}} 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.{{cite web|title=Neon Indian's Alan Palomo Announces Debut Solo Album, Shares New Song|website=pitchfork.com|date=June 6, 2023|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/neon-indian-alan-palomo-announces-debut-solo-album-shares-new-song-listen/|access-date=June 14, 2023}}
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).{{cite web |url=https://www.myspace.com/neonindian |title=Neon Indian |publisher=Myspace |access-date=July 15, 2013}} 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.{{cite web |last=Freedman |first=Pete |url=http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/dc9/2011/02/neon_indian_guitarist_ronnie_g.php |title=Neon Indian Guitarist Ronnie Gierhart Leaves Band, Starts New Ronnie Heart Project |work=Dallas Observer |date=February 16, 2011 |access-date=July 15, 2013}}
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".{{cite web |author=Greg |url=http://ventvox.com/2010/03/05/neon-indian-on-jimmy-fallon-terminally-chill-ephemeral-artery-medley/ |title=Neon Indian on Jimmy Fallon : Terminally Chill & Ephemeral Artery Medley |publisher=Ventvox |date=March 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308121948/http://ventvox.com/2010/03/05/neon-indian-on-jimmy-fallon-terminally-chill-ephemeral-artery-medley/ |archive-date=March 8, 2010 |access-date=July 15, 2013}}{{cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/37892-neon-indian-hit-fallon/ |title=Neon Indian Hit "Fallon" |publisher=Pitchfork |date=February 12, 2010 |access-date=September 11, 2014}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://thelast-magazine.com/neon-indian/|title=Neon Indian New Album Interview|date=10 November 2015|website=Thelast-magazine.com}} During the 2019 tour, Brad Oberhofer joined on synth.
Discography
=Studio albums=
=Extended plays=
- Well Known Pleasures (2009) (As VEGA) {{cite web|url=http://www.musicallyproper.com/blogall/vega-well-known-pleasures|title=VEGA - Well Known Pleasures|website=Musicallyproper.com|access-date=15 February 2019}}
- The Flaming Lips with Neon Indian (2011)
- Errata Anex (2013)
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Song ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US Sales {{cite web| title = Billboard.biz | url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3Aneon%20indian&f[1]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=neon%20indian | publisher = billboard.biz |access-date=3 May 2015 }} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| MEX |
| rowspan="2"|2010
|"Deadbeat Summer" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 27 |rowspan="2"|Psychic Chasms |
| "Sleep Paralysist"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 17 |
| rowspan="3"|2011
|"Fallout" | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| — |rowspan="3"|Era Extraña |
| "Polish Girl"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 39 |
| "Hex Girlfriend"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="3"|2015
|"Annie" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 47 |rowspan="3"|Vega Intl. Night School |
| "Slumlord"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "The Glitzy Hive"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 2019
|"Toyota Man" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | {{Non-album single}} |
=Music videos=
=Notes=
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
- {{Official website|http://www.neonindian.com}}
{{Neon Indian}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2008 establishments in Texas
Category:American musical quintets
Category:American synth-pop groups
Category:Arts & Crafts Productions artists
Category:Electronic music groups from Texas
Category:Hypnagogic pop musicians
Category:Musical groups established in 2008