CITYist

The new Neon Indian video for low-fi single “Sleep Paralysist” feels like wandering through the inside of a series of Polaroids—colors and images distort around you as the environment is shaken for developing. The Austin-bred artist, who just signed to Fader, broke from working with Brooklyn video and visual artist Alicia Scardetta to partner with Focus Creeps, the filmmaking duo behind many of the Girls videos. The result, three minutes of psychedelic nostalgia and paranoia, is pure shock art.

The first “Polaroid” starts off in the Miller house, a strange concrete structure just outside Lexington, Ky. The first shake brings a flurry of light and swirling clouds, then a jump to the natural world in the second setting, complete with spider-webs and alligator eyes. And on it goes, through running white horses, body parts entangled at masquerade sleepovers and old men in their armchairs.

Perhaps it’s the acid trip that Neon Indian should have taken. Either way, we’re glad it’s a trip he was benevolent enough to share. We’ll certainly be first in line for the ferry to catch his (free!) show at Governor’s Island in August.