It’s been over a year since Alan Palomo dropped “Annie” as the first single from his long-awaited third Neon Indian full-length, VEGA INTL. Night School, so it’s a bit surprising to find him releasing a music video for the shimmering cumbia-tinged pop track just now. But we’re glad he did, as he has once again stepped up his visual game, this time behind the camera.
Palomo is no stranger to filmmaking; he actually studied film in college. The self-directed video for “Annie” cleverly follows the narrative of “Slumlord Rising.” We see his dear Annie (played by Ejecta‘s Leanne Macomber) running away with the Slumlord himself on his motorbike. That sets off the entire plot, which is presented like a story inside a karaoke video. There are scrolling lyrics, as well as shots of different cities, processed to get that hip VHS effect that really captures the kitschy 80s aesthetic Palomo sought to portray.
He roams through the streets, looking for Annie everywhere, even reporting her missing and communicating with her telepathically on a TV show in two comic interludes. There’s also some footage of the band performing live, and studio takes that replicate the album’s cover art. We won’t say if he eventually finds her or not; but, spoiler alert: the ending is fatal.