Borderline Latin is an exploration of the influence of Latin music in styles, places and rhythms beyond its traditional borders, and of different types of cross-pollination between Latin music and other musical creatures. Each week, we will feature a song or musical style whose rhythm, themes, melodic inflections or influences have earned it the name of Borderline Latin.
Is it a band? Is he a solo artist? Is this one of those “projects” (like Alan Parsons Project, or Borderline Projects: a way to pursue one’s personal artistic interests, but keeping the doors open to let others give a hand, hoping it will work)? But I digress. Be it as it may, Neon Indian has taken 2012 by the horns, with a new album release (Sep 2011) Era Extraña and a tour to go with it –which will include Italy, Spain, Portugal, the UK, and a May 12 performance in New York City.
Neon Indian’s sound relies on nostalgic tunes surrounded by a collage of samples, considered part of the chillwave genre. The brainchild of Alan Palomo, Neon Indian released its debut Psychic Chasms in 2009, which was received with almost immediate praise from the music media. But who is Alan Palomo? He was born in Monterrey, Mexico, moved to San Antonio as a child, and started recording as Neon Indian in Denton, TX –he had two previous music projects: Ghosthustler and VEGA. He is the son of Jorge Palomo, who had a short-lived career as a pop singer in Monterrey during the ’80s –you can hear his hit in YouTube channel regiomusical; Alan has sampled and used some of his dad’s music for Neon Indian. Another random fact: he studied film in college and his footage will appear in Terrence Malick’s new movie.
Neon Indian has now relocated to Brooklyn. The album Era Extraña, recorded in Helsinki, is an attempt to bring the musical/electronic experimentation one step further. You be the judge: check out the official video for “Polish Girl” and download for FREE “Hex Girlfriend (Twin Shadow remix)” below:
To download Neon Indian’s full-length album, Era Extraña, click below:
Click HERE to read more “Borderline Latin” profiles. For comments and tips, please contact me at: Salvador@remezcla.com, and for more info on my “Borderline” works, visit Borderline Projects.