Neon Indian with Com Truise at Belly Up Tavern: 2011
Neon Indian with Com Truise at Belly Up Tavern: 2011
Neon Indian, with Com Truise opening, performed at Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. This double bill brought two of chillwave's most interesting artists to San Diego - both making electronic music steeped in '80s nostalgia but taking it in different directions.
What Is Chillwave?
Chillwave emerged around 2009-2010 as a lo-fi electronic genre characterized by hazy production, '80s synth nostalgia, reverb-drenched vocals, and dreamy atmospheres. Bands like Washed Out, Toro y Moi, and Neon Indian pioneered the sound.
The genre was sometimes dismissed as hipster nostalgia or bedroom producer noodling, but at its best, chillwave created genuinely beautiful, emotionally resonant music that captured something about memory, youth, and longing.
Com Truise Opens
Com Truise (Seth Haley) makes instrumental electronic music that sounds like it was beamed from an alternate 1980s where synth-funk and new wave evolved differently. His tracks are thick with analog synth sounds, funky drum machines, and retro-futuristic vibes.
Live, Com Truise performed with banks of synthesizers and drum machines, creating dense layers of sound. It's music for careful listening - intricate production, subtle melodies, and grooves that reward attention.
His set prepared the audience perfectly for Neon Indian - both artists work in '80s-inspired electronic territory but with different approaches. Com Truise is more instrumental and funk-influenced; Neon Indian more song-oriented and psychedelic.
Neon Indian
Neon Indian is the project of Alan Palomo, and by 2011 he'd released "Psychic Chasms," one of chillwave's defining albums. Songs like "Deadbeat Summer" and "Should Have Taken Acid with You" blended lo-fi production, catchy melodies, and hazy nostalgia into something distinctive.
Live, Neon Indian translated the bedroom-producer aesthetic to the stage with a full band - live drums, bass, keyboards, and Palomo's vocals floating over everything. The production was denser and cleaner than the lo-fi recordings, showing the songs' strength beneath the haze.
"Deadbeat Summer" captured chillwave's essence - a song about youth, summer, and moments that slip away even as you're experiencing them. The nostalgia is built-in; the song makes you nostalgic for the present moment.
"Should Have Taken Acid with You" is funny and wistful - regret about missed experiences wrapped in dreamy synth-pop. The title is provocative but the song is sweet.
'80s Nostalgia Without Irony
Both Com Truise and Neon Indian embrace '80s synth sounds without irony or pastiche. They're not making fun of '80s music; they're genuinely inspired by it and using those sounds to create new music.
This sincerity distinguishes their work from artists who use retro sounds ironically or as novelty. The '80s influences serve the songs rather than defining them.
Belly Up Atmosphere
Belly Up's excellent sound system served both artists well. Electronic music requires good bass response and clear highs, and Belly Up delivered both. You could hear the intricate production details and feel the bass in your chest.
The crowd was ideal - indie electronic fans who appreciated both the lo-fi bedroom production aesthetic and the more polished live performances. Everyone was there to experience the music carefully rather than just party.
Chillwave's Legacy
By 2011, chillwave was already being declared dead or passé by music bloggers. But the best artists from that moment (including Neon Indian and Com Truise) transcended the genre tag and built sustainable careers.
The genre's emphasis on texture, atmosphere, and emotion influenced electronic music broadly. Many contemporary electronic artists draw on chillwave's aesthetic even if they don't use the term.
The Verdict
Neon Indian with Com Truise at Belly Up was a perfect double bill - two artists mining similar territory (lo-fi electronic nostalgia) but with distinct approaches. Com Truise provided instrumental funk-influenced atmospheres, and Neon Indian delivered hazy synth-pop songs.
If you loved chillwave, if you appreciate electronic music that values atmosphere and emotion as much as beats, if you want '80s-influenced sounds without pastiche, both artists delivered.
Thank you to both for showing that bedroom producers can translate their visions to live performance and that nostalgia can be sincere and creative rather than just regressive.