Neon Indian: Psych Pop Nostalgia

Since the release of Psychic Chasms last year, Neon Indian has gone from just a name being tossed around the blogosphere to buzz band to a veritable major player on the electronic scene. His Twitter bio dubs him a “wiley Mexican,” but, having made his mark on the U.S. indie scene, most wouldn’t think of Alan Palomo as a Latin musician in the traditional sense. Palomo talked to us about this in between working on demos in his van and doing sound check for his show at the Metro in Chicago.

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“I TRY TO IMAGINE

THE SPACE IN WHICH SOUND EXISTS.”

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For me growing up in Texas and beginning to shape my musical tastes in the early ’90s, it was inevitable that my first obsession was Selena. Is there anyone that you’ve completely fanboyed out over?

New Order was the first band I was a total fanboy over. I remember listening to “Bizarre Love Triangle” and just the romantic feeling of being a kid.

Are there any Latin musicians that you follow now?

Not really, at least not anyone contemporary. There are some Spanish artists, like El Aviador Dro and Esplendor Geometrico, which was used in early Almodóvar films.

You’ve been super busy in the past year or so. It kind of seems like you’ve been on tour forever. Are you tired yet?

Well, yes. But this is the homestretch. The tour’s up in November, then it’s on to working on the new album.

What’s the weirdest thing that has happened on tour?

Weird things happen all the time. Whether it’s getting lost or just having weird interactions with people, like going to a party where everyone’s drinking out of a punchbowl spiked with acid. The whole thing’s a delirious mess.

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Catch Neon Indian at this year’s CMJ and watch the trippy video for “6669 (I don’t know if you know).”