Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms (2009) [Lefse] // Grade: B+

By now you’ve surely heard the name Neon Indian not whispered, but shouted at you. The newest musical foray from the super young and super talented Texan Alan Palomo (VEGA, Ghosthustler), you’ll be hard pressed to find a reviewer not praising Psychic Chasms, the project’s ambitious psych synth debut. Don’t get too excited, I’m not going to be the exception to the rule, Psychic Chasms is novel, slightly off-kilter and deserving of adoration.

I could easily label Psychic Chasms one of the better lo-fi releases of the year, but lo-fi probably isn’t the most accurate descriptor for Palomo’s sun-drenched, washed-out  synth melodies. Psych, synthpop, 8bit and dub influences combine in Neon Indian’s meandering compositions that harken to a childhood of long summer days spent playing Nintendo and aimlessly riding bikes with friends.

Psychic Chasms sounds like a record played at the wrong rpm, and this nod to the analog is completely intentional and characteristic of Palomo’s vision for Neon Indian. Leaning heavily on retro nostalgia, Psychic Chasms could easily run the risk of sounding kitsch, but through field recordings, record samples and an arsenal of analog synth gear, Palomo injects Neon Indian with an authenticity that crackles, hisses and shines.

I was lucky enough to catch Neon Indian live last month at a rare appearance in advance of their current tour. With a stage as his experimentation grounds, I grew an even fonder appreciation for Palomo’s use of analog sounds as he scooted about pressing buttons and adjusting knobs on a host of vintage noisemaking gear.  There was a charming nervousness in the band’s performance, one of their very first live gigs as Neon Indian, and the audience reciprocated the sentiment, knowing we were watching the awkward, humble moments of an act trying to get their footing on the quick, upward drag to fame.

Psychic Chasms is free of schtick and couldn’t care less about riding the current wave of lo-fi popularity. Neon Indian are fresh and authentic, but I’m not going to give this album an A because I know that this act will only get better with every release and more confident with every live show. Psychic Chasms is an inspired debut, but only the very beginning of what will be a long and fruitful career for Palomo’s Neon Indian.

- Scrooge McFuck