Neon Indian – Hex Girlfriend

Another one of my favorite albums to be released this year is Neon Indian's Era Extraña. Lots of great tunes on here. Two of which are "Polish Girl" and "Hex Girlfriend".

Neon Indian's new album, Era Extraña, follows 2009's breakthrough debut Psychic Chasms. Recorded in Helsinki and mixed by Dave Fridmann, the record builds on the charm of its predecessor by adding new musical colors and depth to Palomo's swirling, computerized pop songs. Many of the new tracks are anchored in '80s synth-pop and new wave, from Depeche Mode and Thompson Twins to Joy Divison and even Genesis. In fact, "Halogen (I Could Be a Shadow)" would segue nicely into "Turn It on Again."

The added musical depth on Era Extraña prevents it from sounding like a mere extension of Psychic Chasms. "The Blindside Kiss" is fueled by its Jesus and Mary Chain-style buzzsaw guitars and dark, reverberating vocals. "Hex Girlfriend" begins with warbly lo-fi computer-game sounds before exploding into a synth-pop joyride that's equal parts The Fall and The Human League.

Call it what you want: "chillwave," "glo-fi" or whatever catchphrase comes along next. But the inventive and tuneful Era Extraña is every bit as much a pop album as, say, the Madonna classics that precede it. - NPR



"HEX GIRLFRIEND" Lyrics:
Friday flight feeling smeared and vexed
Girl caught, parking lot of the Cineplex
Stupid face looking so perplexed
Seeming like it was caught in a hex

"Does it make you, does it make you feel alright?"
"Did they make you, did they make you feel alright?"
Sullen sights always indirect
Tired eyes hypnotized by your teenage sect
Weekend rituals resurrecting
Feelings our sober minds reject

"Does it make you, does it make you feel alright?"
"Did they make you, did they make you feel alright?"

I know I won't be here forever
Slow burn fades into a dream
My flesh won't follow me forever
But your touch is far and few between