Neon Indian
VEGA INTL. Night School (Mom + Pop)
Sometimes you just need to party. Sometimes you just need to say “Fuck it! I’m staying out all night, I’m doing whatever any random stranger gives me, and I’m not coming in to work tomorrow.”
Alan Palomo, the man behind Neon Indian, knows the feeling.
VEGA INTL. Night School represents his second shot at following up 2011’s sublime Era Extraña: after Palomo stayed out all night and passed out on his friend’s doorstep, an entire album’s worth of new tunes went missing when his laptop was stolen off his party-ravaged corpse.
On VEGA INTL. Night School, Palomo takes us back to the spirit of that fateful night.
Most songs keep the BPMs under 100, so suffice it to say these are largely slow jams. The tropical beats are interspersed with random cartoon and TV samples, reminiscent of plunderphonic pioneers, the Avalanches.
Gone are Era Extraña’s 8-bit chip tunes, as VEGA INTL. Night School trades the Nintendos for keytars and cocaine computers, resulting in something that’s simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic. It’s sexy, messy fun, like a sun-drenched orgy of Commodore 64s.
The album kicks off with the requisite minute-long interlude, before launching into “Annie”, a sunny groove over a skanking beat reminiscent of Carly Simon’s amazing “Why Does Your Love Hurt So Much”. Dance floor bangers like “The Glitzy Hive” and “Slumlord” are nearly impossible not to move to, while “C’est La Vie (Say the Casualties!)” sees the party reach its reckless, unhinged apex.
While some might argue the album is lacking standout singles the calibre of Era Extraña’s “Polish Girl”, VEGA INTL. Night School begs to be played start to finish: This is a party album, and this party is going all night long.
Just don’t forget to call in sick to work.
Rating (out of five): ★★★★
