The days are getting colder and shorter and shorter and colder. But really, it’s just the universe giving us more time to stay in, kick back, relax and play through an Indie Dojo or two or three of four. We are here for as long as you want us to be.
Neon Indian at Social Hall, SF 9/22
Looking around the crowd at the newly minted Social Hall SF, it was apparent that the diehard group of fans had little idea what they were hearing. Attending a show by a favored artist is an unforgettable experience; the anxiety and foreboding feeling that they may bomb the performance, the hope against all hope that the one favorite song played on repeat 300 times that one summer is on their set list, the lofty and unrealistic expectations of them noticing your pinpoint gaze from the stage.
All of those unstable feelings – coupled with the awkward notion of repeatedly bumping shoulders with complete strangers – are made more bearable by the overarching fact that the mass of people is musically in sync. Artists take huge risks when touring a new album pre-release; when a fan base comes together to experience their latest works before hearing a single song, the performance can either fall flat or amaze. Alan Palomo’s performance, thankfully, accomplished the latter. Despite vague familiarity with the new material, the cluster rocked and swayed to the arrangements that have made Neon Indian into a renowned electronic producer.
Between his own eccentric swinging hips and a charmingly flat-footed signature shuffle (falling somewhere between Motown and Disco), Palomo also managed to keep an often-times lost crowd energized and in the moment.
Somewhere between hearing Vega Intl. Night School for the tenth time and experiencing the live version, a single theme materialized: identity. Conjecture about growth, selling out, going back to ones roots, slumps (sophomore or otherwise), etc. constantly deconstructs albums from what they truly are – standalone works that may not necessarily have to do with the current landscape or outside influences.
An obvious statement once put into words, it also seems like an outdated thought process for the Internet generation of music fanatics. An album can be both groundbreaking and genre defining in the moment. The more fantastical our critical response is up front, the more scrutiny that will be placed on prior and future works on the back end – careers are mapped out like a road trip from some well defined point towards an unknown destination, instead of critiqued as a standalone work of art. As the creative force behind two cult classics in Era Extraña and Psychic Chasms, the third installation, Vega Intl. has been a half decade in the making and with a freshly paved road to predetermine its merits.
Chillwave
Palomo’s map is intimately tied to a departure point labeled chillwave. That point, in fact, was one that housed the most diverse and burgeoning population of artists pre-2012. Performers from all parts of the country did their part to push the sub-genre to the forefront, while also vehemently denying its existence: Washed Out, Toro y Moi, Teen Daze, Mansions on the Moon, Tycho and so on. These artists’ influenced the electronic world of music in ways similar to the “future” movement that is perpetuated by the Soulection and Future Classic collectives of today. Whereas 2010 saw a convergence of new heights for the vaguely defined form of artistry, 2013 saw its relative fall from notoriety.
Toro shook the niche label from his music with the 2013 release of Anything in Return, taking a sizable chunk of listeners away from the genre in the process – this year has since seen him release the dark, experimental Samantha, which only further displays his removal from those early beginnings altogether. Washed Out followed up his masterful Within and Without with a 2013 LP, Paracosm, which lacked some of the imagination, catchiness and starpower from his debut. Mansions followed up their 2011 mixtape Paradise Falls with a hiatus, which saw them largely forgotten after a groundswell similar to that of Kid Cudi’s. Tycho has gone on to undisputed commercial success, but not without also blazing his own trail away from chillwave and into his own ambient, experimental space, with Teen Daze following a similar sonic route.
2011 also saw the release of Palomo’s Era Extraña. A more mainstream – but no less enjoyable – album, Extraña gave listeners hope for the success of this pseudo-genre in general and for the future of Neon Indian specifically. Unfortunately, fans hoping for a chillwave takeover were left holding their breath for quite some time; this was followed by complete radio silence until the release of Vega Intl. Night School a week ago – over four years later.
Vega Intl. Night School is a glimpse into the identity of Alan Palomo. Much less of a cohesive piece than Era Extraña was, Vega manages to capture a large amount of the charm and novelty that made Psychic Chasms a classic. Like those many related artists who departed the genre, Palomo hones in on his strengths and exploits them in a variety of ways on this album. Through fourteen tracks, the remnants of his best works can be found in pieces scattered throughout Vega.
Progressions and arrangements within these songs link the originality and freshness of summery, analog production with the “bigger” aspects of major pop music, which is apparent in the first or second sitting with the album. Substantiating the link towards this suddenly expanding fan base, Neon Indian recently made an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, once again displaying his outlandish dance moves while introducing the first single, “Annie.”
A balmy track, “Annie” blends some reggae keyboard synths elements with a simplistic, catchy vocal hook. Not to be forgotten, this track also contains a Neon Classic signature: futuristic instrumental outro, containing a healthy amount of Palomo’s best practices.
In most ways, artistry reflects personal growth of the artist. Thus if the album lends itself to identity as a common theme, it also reflects the idea that art, like growth, is never complete. That is a roundabout way of saying this album doesn’t feel like a complete, cohesive one. The highs are much higher than the lows of the album, the second half of Vega Intl much stronger than the first. The album is certainly enjoyable overall, but it leaves an impression more as a collection of the best tracks Palomo has devised since Era Extraña, and less of a journey to be listened to in a specific order. Reuniting with his brother, on the bass guitar and in the studio, the shifting style from abstract electro-synth into something more distinct than previous records is apparent.
In part because of how strongly the songs fluctuate in style, it is difficult to hit the moving target and define the inspiration for the album. While songs like “Slumlord’s Re-lease” lock arms with some previous hits on Psychic Chasms, there is also irrefutable evidence of transformation and a touch more experience. Whereas the debut was built on songs like “If I Knew, I’d Tell You” – intricately catchy, lightly distorted garage band loops – Night School feels more like a controlled effort by Palomo to craft his own distorted beeps, boops, and hisses. Palomo foregoes some of his dreamier works, reminiscent of OMN, in favor of more structured noise this time around.
Opening with an ode to the old school samples, “Hit Parade” is a purposefully blurry introductory piece, sampling on backmasking techniques as a prelude for the next 13 tracks. “The Glitzy Hive” sees Palomo defy the mono-genre mold by crossing between indie rock and funk; like the related acts of prior years, Palomo finds his niche in Vega Intl, exploiting a need for Prince-like vocals over distinctly wonky sounds. “Dear Skorpio Magazine” keeps up the funky vibe, complete with a complex electric guitar and downbeat pattern. While incorporating the playfulness of earlier works like “Deadbeat Summer,” the track stands apart from the rest of the album as the most lyrically complex and vocal-dependent. “Techno Clique” takes the album on a decidedly sharp turn away from the overall feel, opening with an almost tribal introduction. An eclectic mix of production styles and modal borrowing, “Techno Clique” revels in incongruity and bold sequences, while maintaining coherence with minimal vocal assistance.
The most straightforward track on the album, “Baby’s Eyes” is a throwback piece that feels more at place with music from the 1980s than that of today. The markedly psychedelic aspects lend themselves to a six minute jam full of feedback, reverbs, and an extended electric guitar solo.
Overall, Vega Intl does not disappoint, as it has a substantial amount of content to satisfy newcomers and die hard fans alike. A technical work, bounding back and forth between songs, experimenting with oft-forgotten techniques, guiding its listeners along – reverting “back to its roots” at times – Palomo’s album displays a level of growth that cannot be denied. Stylistically and instrumentally, Neon Indian has vastly expanded his whimsical style since the days of recording on a modified Commodore 64.
Without a doubt, Halloween has become one of the single biggest days of the year in the U.S. music industry as far as simultaneous mega-events occurring from coast to coast. And as you may have noticed, we’re offering a number of amazing giveaways across a plethora of amazing cities. Of course, it just wouldn’t be right unless we included our friends in the greatest city in the world: New York. Known for their excellent music curation and overall visual and audio experiences (check out the amazing recap video from their last event ‘Elements’), we’ve teamed up with our friends at BangOn!NYC to offer up a pair of tickets to this year’s ‘Warehouse of Horrors’ in East Williamsburg. This year’s Halloween event is absolutely loaded from top-to-bottom across a number of tasteful dance genres with TMN favorites including last month’s ‘Resident Artist’ Hayden James, as well as Salva, Louis The Child, The Juan Maclean, Pumpkin, Action 52, FDVM, BOGL, and The Golden Pony. To get our blood pumping a little more, we’ve put together quite the eclectic dance playlist below featuring tunes from this year’s headliners which should have you jacking away the foreseeable week.
But, the fun doesn’t stop there either. We’re offering one lucky reader a pair of tix for the ‘Warehouse of Horrors’ and we’d love for it to be you!Entering our contest is as always, beyond easy. Just “like” The Music Ninja & BangOn!NYC on FB, click on this post header if you’re still on the TMN front page, and comment below with the artist you’re most excited to see. That’s it! And of course for our friends looking to secure their spot, tickets can easily be purchased at the link here as well.
There are a few rules, of course:
– The event is 21+ Be sure to tell all of your friends to increase chance of winning!
– You are responsible for your own transportation.
– You must bring a valid form of ID to pick up your tickets at the Warehouse of Horrors Ticket Booth.
Good luck ninjas, start commenting below!
Hello Ninjas! I just wanted to take a break from our usual posts to say something that means a lot to me. The Music Ninja turned 6 years old this year and while we may already be potty trained (with a few accidents here and there), we know there is so much more room to grow and mature as a music loving publication.
However, early on in Music Ninja history, Clayton Warwick came along. It was immediately apparent the kind of impact Clayton would have, not just on the site, but on my life as well. Through pure love for music and making fun of the state of the music industry on a daily basis, a friendship was born and partnership came next. His enthusiasm for the music scene, our own ninja team and all the things that come with it seems to grow even more on a regular basis. I am incredibly proud and honored, both personally and professionally, to also have him in my life on a regular basis and I know everyone in our team feels the same way. Today we celebrate Clayton’s five-year anniversary at The Music Ninja. Five years of writing genuine and thorough posts, thoughtful no BS interviews and mentoring every new writer. Five years of fighting when things have been tough and five years of celebrating every single accomplishment. Thank you Clay, for all that you do. I love you.
If you have a minute today, let’s blow him up on twitter (or facebook) and congratulate him on five fantastic years and many more to come.
The Chill Dojo is all about showcasing talent, and KHAI delivers that in spades with a whimsical feature from his recently released IF YOU EP. Following our recent interview with the emerging Austin artist, ‘Take’ was unveiled as the only collaborative piece on the EP, and it immediately captured our hearts with its magical air. The interwoven vocals of CYN are a glorious addition to this hypnotically beautiful song, with a few cheeky samples from another mystical character thrown in for good measure. This next combination needs no introduction, because Brasstracks taking on GoldLink is every bit as brilliant as the names suggest. ‘Dance On Me’ really was the perfect canvas for the duo to unleash their uplifting sound, providing a unique flow to the track that’s on another level.
While the bass has definitely not been held back from Illenium’s latest melodic masterpiece, there’s no denying that the intense emotion-filled experience of ‘Only One’ has that chill feel to qualify for a place in the Dojo ranks. It’s only the first single from his upcoming album, and our breath has already been taken away by its ambient builds and incredible percussion hits. In a similar fashion, Joshua Cherney has teamed up with PRXZM to deliver a dose of future bliss that may have you as crazily obsessed as its name suggests. While the bursts of synth are nothing short of slick, we’re all about the vibe from those soulful vocals that make this ideal easy-listening material. Norway’s Autolaser was one of the first in the future game, and his wealth of experience leaves him more than capable of re-imagining a classic with his signature creativity. We close this write-up with ‘Return Of The Mack’ like you’ve never heard it before, original funkiness intact, but amplified with explosions of colorful bass.
Of course we haven’t forgotten about the laid-back feel as well, so make sure to soak it all up. Peace out.
We couldn’t picture a better way to spend part of our Saturday than drinking in this four-track EP from Deltasonic’s newest signing, Liverpool-based The Vryll Society. The collection boasts a myriad of influences, ranging from psychedelic, to funk, to folk, to classic rock. Each song has a defined persona, yet work in perfect ensconcing harmony when listened to top-to-bottom.
Kicking things off is our personal favorite, “Coshh,” which delightfully welcomes listeners in with a calculated layering of elements that slowly build off one another. We’ve always been a huge fan of gorgeous, anticipatory, post-rock builds, and “Coshh” succeeds in delivering a quite otherworldly one. This will more than likely be your first introduction to frontman Mike Ellis’ vocals, which are an ethereal experience alone. When coupled with upbeat percussion, and interchanging howling and clean guitar riffs, you can’t help but leave the song feeling ultimately satisfied.
One of our other favorites comes in the slow and mesmerising “Metropolis,” which pulls its name from the 1920’s silent classic film. The verses carry a medieval Gregorian cadence and delivery, beckoning on memorable elements from centuries ago. The choruses then bring the song back into current day, exploding with soaring vocal harmonies, glowing guitar work, and a surging vocal range.
Joining up with acts like The Coral, The Zutons, and the Dead 60’s, The Vryll Society looks to make a splash with visionary Deltasonic label, founded by the late Alan Wills.
With an already developed live performance being loved and adored by those lucky enough to catch one, we’d highly suggest heading out and experiencing this debut EP live.
We’ve been ready for the weekend ever since Monday morning came around, and now it’s here. Night owls congregate, and have yourselves a fun night tonight. With another weekend here, we have more party poppin’ tunes for you, this week coming from Illenium, Reid Speed, Mayhem x Antiserum, JOYRYDE, Astronomar and Hasse De Moor, as well as more. All twelve tracks are free downloads as usual, and we made sure not to stick with one genre. There’s a little of this, and a little of that; we hope it all tickles your fancy. Go out tonight equipped with these quality records and make sure to get crunk and #danceirresponsibly.
