Seven years after meeting at a toy shop, multi-instrumentalist Matt Puckett (Mother Falcon) and rapper/singer Adam Protextor have created a playful, Eighties pop-influenced squall of an album in American Neon. Not shunting serious messaging, the locals conjure a unique work where songs subtly grow just as you believe you’ve gotten the gist. Standout “These Drugs” begins as a garage/rap jam with two strong Protextor verses, then breaks down and Puckett almost coos, “When you call, I don’t hear.” However, the words blur where perhaps one phrase was meant to take precedence before the other, flipping its meaning. Chicago rapper Cupcakke delivers her signature sex-positive flows on “Undertow,” intoning, “The room smells like sex, I might make it a fragrance.” Closer “CTYL (Can’t Touch Yr Love)” fully courses into effervescent pop, accompanied by a weighty hook and melody.

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This article appears in October 27 • 2017.

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Kahron Spearman is a journalist and writer with bylines including The Austin Chronicle, Austin Monthly, Consequence of Sound, Texas Highways, and the London-based journal The Break-Down. He currently serves as Senior Editor at Atmosphere TV.