SPIN picked Austin, TX, electronic mastermind Neon Indian, aka Alan Palomo, as an Artist to Watch in 2010 for his colorful debut Psychic Chasms. He’ll return with his second album, Era Extraña, on September 13. Good news: The first album track just dropped online. Download “Fallout” here.
So what do we learn? That “chillwave” really is the best name for Palomo’s music. With glistening new wave synths and ’80s-style dream-pop melodies (think Cocteau Twins), “Fallout” is more “chill” than Spicoli with a buzz. Its watery computer effects and digital loops roll in like a “wave,” too, as Palomo sings something that sounds romantic and poignant, but is buried beneath an ocean of Enya-esque fizzling, rendering his words mysterious, too.
