Pollution Salute

Michael Fay’s (aka Pollution Salute) music get’s born on other younger, kinder planets. it remains mysterious to even Fay how they travel and why he hears them. He however proves himself to be a proper ambassador and loving host for these alien and somehow familiar melodies. Like the eager, wise child in the Little Prince he tends a hothouse of raw and delicate sound orchids because these songs are too shiny and ephemeral to be ignored or go unloved. Feel free to imagine him as a tattooed sunflower. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri where he enjoys finger painting with the elderly.

Neon is the exuberant, strange, and sparkling debut album from Pollution Salute, the one man wonder-band of Michael Fay. Pollution Salute’s mellow vocals, rich and transparent sound, and tender energy give birth to an album that makes you feel like you’re riding your bike naked through a gentle summer shower of champagne.

Neon is a warm and fizzing cocktail of smooth instrumentation and irresistible rhythms, of high-octane sunlight and nostalgic melancholy. With its deft blend of ambient sound and familiar pop structures, this debut sounds like the polished work of a long career.

Pollution Salute demonstrates immense versatility and keen musical sensibility. Nothing in this collection is monosyllabic. Fay doesn’t just write each song – he constructs them. Some standout tracks are Bright Shine (swift, glittering, citrus) and Garage Door Opener (purple, electric, memory). Don’t let the serenity of Orange Bug and Cotton Fort become background noise – they’re delicate and intricate, worth a close listening. Step Forward to Drift Away, probably the most philosophical of the tracks on this album, is a soaring piece of architecture, it’s foundation a hypnotic mélange of wineglass tones and its rafters adorned in richly hesitant beats.

Listening to Neon is an experience. One you don’t want to miss. On a cliche note, people who like Boards of Canada to Animal Collective, or Postal Service to Stereo Lab will love Pollution Salute. Regardless, take this can opener of an album to your skull and let some sunlight in.