

“Heart: Attack”—the minute-long intro of Neon Indian's 2011 album Era Extraña—instantly brings to mind the ‘80s-based, synth-heavy psychedelia of previous Neon Indian albums (2009’s Psychic Chasms and its 2010 follow-up, Mind CTRL: Psychic Chasms Possessed). But the next song, “Polish Girl,” is a sexy departure that has more in common with the cosmic disco of Air, Phoenix, or Vega (the other electro-tinged project fronted by Neon Indian’s Alan Polomo). The gauzy, shoegaze-inspired tune “The Blindside Kiss” blends Isn’t Anything–era My Bloody Valentine guitars with plenty of Psychocandy-era Jesus and Mary Chain reverb. Some Moog-like undulations hint at Stereolab’s retro-futurism on “Hex Girlfriend” before the tune takes a detour into more electronically flourished dream pop. Fans of Ariel Pink’s penchant for pumping beauty through murky fidelity will find a comforting familiarity in the instrumental “Heart: Decay” before the title track contrasts big distorted bass lines with shimmering electro-pop.