Vega Intl. Night School by Neon Indian (4/5)

Must Hear Tracks: “Annie” “Slumlord” “Baby’s Eyes”

I’ve been a huge Neon Indian fan since Psychic Chasms came into my life around 2010. In the five years since, Alan Palomo’s songs have followed me. They go in and out of vogue, but they never disappear completely. Needless to say, I was excited when Vega Intl. Night School, Palomo’s third album under the Neon Indian moniker, was finally released. I expected an enjoyable listening experience but this record delivered far more than that. In fact, the remarkable listenability of Vega Intl. Night School places it amongst the best albums of the year.

A typical Neon Indian instrumental intro track starts the album off. Then, “Annie” bursts in with an infectious reggae-inspired beat and a melody that sounds like it jumped out of the 1980’s. Alan Palomo was wise to put this song front and center because it commands attention. It is a standout track on an album full of songs that could easily be standouts on any less impressive electronic artist’s release.

Following “Annie” is the complex “Street Level.” Although the synths are interesting and well layered, I think this one is a bit too busy to function outside the confines of this particular album. Luckily, it fits the 80’s nostalgia theme of the record so it doesn’t harm the overall listening experience. Next is “Smut!,” a playful, lumbering synth pop number with interesting vocal samples, and a vaguely Michael Jackson-esque melody. It blends into the rest of the songs so well that it may go unremembered to most listeners, along with the following interlude track, “Bozo.”

As far as pacing goes, these well-produced but somewhat unimpressive tracks serve as a nice prelude to “The Glitzy Hive,” which sports a satisfying party anthem chorus and a beat worthy of any dance floor. This track was released as a single a few months back, but it becomes more powerful in the context of Vega Intl. Night School. The album then drifts effortlessly through “Dear Skorpio Magazine,” which is yet another enjoyable but ultimately less enduring track.

“Slumlord” begins with a synth solo. Starting off slow and dramatic, the shimmering synthesizer line picks up speed and develops into a chord progression. Then the drum machine snaps into action and song is on its way. Daft Punk would be proud of Palomo’s use of rhythmic synthesizers. They create a groove that almost requires a physical reaction. What Alan Palomo brings to the table is his excellent vocal melody. “Slumlord” ebbs and flows seamlessly into “Slumlord’s Re-Lease,” a deep house instrumental which ends while fading in the bass line from the next track, “Techno Clique.” These transitions give this section of Vega Intl. Night School the feel of a live DJ mix, which is a nice touch on a dance pop album.

The Pink-Floydian electro rock of “Baby’s Eyes” slows the pace from the club ready pulse of “Techno Clique” to something akin to “Dark Side of the Moon: The Video Game.” The song seems to be the artistic peak of the record, and one of Neon Indian’s most impressive songs to date.

“C’est La Vie (say the casualties)” is easily the wild card track on the album. It is whimsical, almost to a comical extent, with abrupt musical transitions and high-pitched vocals that give Kevin Parker (of Tame Impala) a run for his money. it’s an excellent palette cleanser after the heavy “Baby’s Eyes.”

The reggae-disco style of “Annie” is reprised with “61 Cygni Ave.” As with most of Vega Intl. Night School, it is another catchy, groovy, well-layered dance-pop gem. The album is closed out with the Prince-invoking “News From the Sun (live bootleg),” which ties everything together nicely, although the song itself isn’t one of the strongest tracks.

Vega Intl. Night School is Neon Indian’s most impressive album to date. The consistency of Vega Intl. Night School is such that while there are obvious standout tracks (Annie, Slumlord, Baby’s Eyes), the less universal tracks are rendered with enough creativity and attention to detail that they are endearing, potential favorites after repeated listens. The 80’s nostalgia-pop theme of the album is never broken. Instead, it is throughly explored. Different musical styes appear and reappear but the album never gets boring. Underlying all of Alan Palomo’s stylistic shifts is his impeccable skill with a drum machine. Listening to Vega Intl. Night School can very easily turn into physical activity. The tight beats present throughout the album never lose their ability to inspire spontaneous movement.

Neon Indian has arrived, again. Vega Intl. Night School is a detailed, danceable, initially satisfying, consistently impressive album which firmly places Alan Palomo in the top tier of electronic artists today.