Neon Indians’, Psychic Chasms

The heart of Neon Indian's ethereal debut, "Psychic Chasms" to be released Oct. 13, beats to a subtle disco rhythm.

Like pioneering new wave acts The Human League and Depeche Mode, Neon Indian merges synthetic soundscapes with droll, monotone vocals, creating music that is as emotionally resonant as it is aesthetically artificial.

The shimmering MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) beats and dead pan delivery make "Psychic Chasms" a lost relic from the skinny tie era, albeit one that suffered severe audio quality deterioration in the interim. Like a once beloved cassette tape that has been played too many times, kicked around the car and left to bake on the dashboard, "Psychic Chasms'" tones are warped and well worn.

Bridging the divide between two of Brooklyn's prominent scenes, lysergic electro-dancers like MGMT on the left and grit, and grime 4-track aficionados Blank Dogs on the right, Neon Indian pulls equally from the two modern movements and ends up with something inadvertently retro.

This is ironic, because while the Brooklyn influence is apparent, the group's only non-musical member resides in New York City. A long distance collaboration between Austinite Alan Palamo (of VEGA and Ghosthustler) and former Texan/visual artist Alicia Scardetta, the two Neon Indians' identities were kept secret as the first few tracks surfaced on the blogosphere.

Now that everything is out in the open Palamo has admitted to being the man behind the music while Scardetta's visual contributions should become apparent once the group begins touring.

Neon Indian is slated to perform at an Austin City Limits after party and for an appearance at Fun Fun Fun Fest at 6:35 on Nov. 7 on the blue stage. VEGA is slated to perform at 3:35 that same day on the same stage.

Though Neon Indian's multimedia dimensions are still a mystery, the audio alone carries itself quite nicely.

At first, "Deadbeat Summer" sounds like it is suffering from a tracking problem, but as soon as the warped keyboard demo rhythm gives way to Paloma's hushed, gasping vocals and blasé chorus, the song becomes an infectiously catchy slacker anthem.

"Should Have Taken Acid with You," with its pulsing, lackadaisical beat, could have perfectly sound tracked an 80's teen comedy about barbiturate abuse, had John Hughes ever decided to make one.

Throughout all the phase shifting affects and digital decay, "Psychic Chasms" holds onto a warm human tone, thanks in large part to Paloma's sleepy voice.

Dispensing with the sterile, robotic vibe put forth by electronic innovators like Kraftwerk, Neon Indian lives up to its name and blends their fluorescent glow with an earthy aesthetic.

The result is a toe-tapping sound track to an aimless Austin summer.