Neon Indian has made a long-awaited return with his new single Toyota Man - listen here. The video was filmed on the US/Mexico border, and features a Trump piñata:
The track marks a new era for Alan Palomo's project, as it's his first song in his native language (Spanish) while musically introducing a new psych-cumbia infused direction. "We came here to study, we want to work" he sings as a protest, playfully followed by duelling riffs of La Cucaracha with the Star-Spangled Banner.
In the years since his third album VEGA INTL. Night School, Palomo focused on cinema. He composed several film scores and even had time to debut a short film: 86'd, which is a final recap of the universe he created for that album.
Alan explains the Toyota Man video, which he also directed:
"Toyota Man was filmed along the road map of what essentially was my path to American citizenship: Monterrey, the Nuevo Laredo border, San Antonio, and finally Austin. The process is a multiple decade commute known by many Latinos and other Americans. Though my music has always been generally apolitical, I realized when recording this song that it was impossible to write biographically (in the rhetorical context of the Trump administration) without being entirely that: political. The story of my family, which before felt commonly American, was suddenly politicized. Recognizing the absurdity of it all, I thought it would be refreshing to address the social narrative around immigration through comedy - nods to Benny Hill, misremembered San Antonio car commercials, and School House Rock. My family and I had a ton of fun making this and I hope it’s equally as fun to watch. Enjoy!"
Neon Indian is out on tour currently - see all dates below and get tickets here.
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