Concert Recap: Neon Indian + Purity Ring

Purity Ring

It was a sold out show at the Cat's Cradle this Wednesday, as Neon Indian and Purity Ring fans got a megadose of low-fi synth-pop. Purity Ring opened the show and, given their talent, is sure to have someone opening for them next time I see them. Instead of relying on stage lights the DJ had a contraption rigged to his sampling equipment. The colors on the lights around his console corresponded to the beat and a large bass drum on the stage would light up during bass beats. Megan James' vocals were slightly haunting, though meticulously well-pitched, and married well with the DJ's almost spooky music samples and beats.

As the anticipation built for Neon Indian, a sea of flannel shirt-wearing fans wielding PBRs packed in around the stage. Neon Indian opened with "Local Joke" from Pyschic Chasms (2009). Much of the original music remained in tact, but some guitar leads were slightly lost in translation. They also relied on a drum kit instead of low-fi drum samples. The crowd responded well to the more popular tracks. The band played a long synth-heavy segue into "Pyschic Chasms" and the crowd began to move as the synth-bass line drove the song along. "Polish Girl" (Era Extraña, 2011) was also a huge hit and a segue into "Dead Beat Summer" made both tunes even better. Lead singer Alan Palomo even let the crowd sing the chorus. Palomo told the crowd there was one song left in the set but said that since we were "such a great audience" they would play on through the encore set, which included "Terminally Chill" and "Should've Taken Acid With You". All in all it was a great night of low-fi/chillwave, right in my backyard.

Alan Palomo (lead singer, synth)

Leanne Macomber (synth, vocals)
 playing a tune on bass

Artist Review (Forecastle Preview Edition): Washed Out

A trailblazer of the chillwave genre, Washed Out will be performing at Forecastle this summer. Washed Out is Georgia native Ernest Greene's stage name. He began creating music in his bedroom studio in 2009, moving up through the ranks of the music world via music blogs and MySpace. From 2009-2010 he released three EPs, the second featuring some of his most popular tunes to this day (Feel it All Around from Life of Leisure). In 2011 he shook the music world with the release of Within and Without, a more polished sounding album, which peaked at 26 on the U.S. Billboard 200.


Chillwave has been described by its artists as "funk in slow motion", and Washed Out really encapsulates that idea. Songs have a dreamy, low-fi, synth-ridden feel with rap and R&B influences. Vocals are flooded with reverb, making it nearly impossible to understand. In a sense, the vocals just become another instrument in the music, and for Washed Out, that works very well. If you make it to Forecastle this summer, Washed Out is a must see. If you can't make it to Louisville for Forecastle, check Washed Out's tour page for 2012 dates.

Eyes Be Closed by Washed Out (Within and Without, 2011)
Feel it All Around by Washed Out (Life of Leisure, 2010)
Belong by Washed Out (High Times, 2009)