Album art by glamdoodle which depicts an ICE vehicle stylized similarly to the Cars from the Pixar Cars film set on fire and screaming. It is mostly black and white, aside from red used for the flames and a spill below the car.

It's been a challenging year across the board. Chaos has scattered loving families and friends, music streaming goliaths are pouring our money into AI and AI-warfare technology rather than using it to support the artists we love, and radio stations across the country are facing financial troubles. When mere existence becomes resistance, unity becomes the way.

Pa La Raza = For the People

Pa La Raza is a compilation album released back in late September, primarily featuring Latine and Indigenous musicians from Los Angeles. All proceeds of the album support individuals affected by ICE raids in the SELA and Cateway Cities regions of LA. A cassette tape copy has been generously sent to KSUA, with the music having been ripped and uploaded into the station automation system. All explicit tracks can be heard during Safe Harbor Hours between 10pm and 6am.

The previously pictured album art, over a flower backdrop. Courtesy of Pa La Raza’s bandcamp page.

Photo is courtesy of the official Pa La Raza Bandcamp page.

Pictured is the cassette tape packaging, with album art by glamdoodle which depicts an ICE vehicle stylized similarly to the Cars from the Pixar Cars film set on fire and screaming. It is mostly black and white, aside from red used for the flames and a spill below the car. It looks REALLY cool. The cassette itself is red, which is an awesome touch. It’s really nice packaging and some great art.

Let’s take a listen of every track:

INDRAM – SPLIT (1:15)
Lxs Cochinxs – Muerte (4:45)
Pighati - custer bread (3:59)
TV-MA – Debris (2:56)
Ojos Y Oidos - guranteed to fuck you up (5:51)
songs for everyone - song for the complicit (2:25)
j-nu - nothing's real (no face) (3:14)
Las Brujitas – ALIIV3 (3:31)
VCRSLOT – Andalucia (4:36)
Paco Casanova - Poloa Tlanehnequini Yaotl (PTY) (3:00)
Ahnist – Popstar (3:10)
Pink Light - Baila (de Valle a Valle) (3:49)
mother – Dormant (7:56)

This entire eclectic compilation goes hard. It begins with some hard noise music with raw distorted vocals in SPLIT by INADRM. This loud and awesome start sets a tone and immediately pulls in the listener. Perfect music to accompany a late night drive.

Next, we've got Muerte by Lxs Cochinxs. This fast paced track is a vibe change and speaks truths that need to be heard.

There are killers,

roaming our streets

Terrorizing the people,

and their name is police.

The song delivers a call for community protection then segues into a sick guitar solo.

Our third track is custer bread by Pighati. This track slows things back down and soothes us with a peaceful, ambient sound. Slow, melodic guitar notes are followed by soft vocals. The track has such a lovely warmth, like a kiss on the forehead in song form.

Our fourth song, Debris by TV-MA, has a calm and electronic sound. TV-MA is an artist you can already hear on KSUA. Their 2022 EP, The Light at the End of Decay is on our automation system, and the 2 Mello track featuring them, Rapid Crew (Can't Move Me) is as well. Debris is one of their best tracks yet and speaks an important message of reflecting on what's been lost and settling in after a hard-sought victory. A better world has been made, at a cost. A world we might live in one day.

Track 5 is by Ojos Y Oidos and is titled guaranteed to fuck you up. Yeah, this is one that you'll only hear during Safe Harbor Hours. The track begins with a quietness, outside of a reoccuring jiggly electronic noise and tapping. Distorted vocals begin to speak from time to time, stating ambivalent messages like, "I hate most people," "I can get away from everyone." This is honestly a really interesting track, some of the vocals remind me of my own inner voice at times. It’s an inner-voice I'm sure many listeners can relate to.

The sixth track is titled songs for the complicit by songs for everyone. This is an intense, loud industrial noise track with lots of screaming. Through the abrasive chaos, it speaks an important message everyone needs to hear:

think about what you did

think about what you've done

are you gonna keep silent?

or are you gonna keep letting it happen

or will you do your part

do. your. part.

Next we've got the seventh track, nothing's real (no face) by j-nu. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album, it's rap track with some nice beats on loop and a synth that help sets the vibe of the track. This track reflects the unavoidable bleakness and uncertainty of these times. It perfectly captures the dreariness of everything right now, and the concern I have for my community and loved ones.

nothing looks real rn

but i think i know the deal rn

im not sure how to feel rn

a big clown but still i frowne

as the world round me burns down

ALIIV3 by Las Brujitas is our eight track. A dramatic opening with rain and thunder is followed by some sick electric guitar. This is another personal favorite from the compilation. Everything ranging from the spiteful desire and proclamation to create, pushing your enemies down, and the entire monster vibe between the mention of pitchforks and the Frankenstein-esque opening. Just a rocking track, with a bit of silliness, that makes you feel like you can do anything, even when the world is your enemy. In a time like this where it can be so hard to pursue your art, it's important that you do it, and do it unapologetically. And keep doing it.

The ninth track is Andalucia by VCRSLOT. This instrumental track has a funky lo-fi sound to it. The synth brings me back to the PlayStation 1. There's some parts of the track where a nice drum beat picks up, but the whole way through it has a tranquil sound.

Poloa Tlanehnequini Yaotl by Paco Casanova, the tenth track, has a cool electronic industrial sound to it. It's another instrumental track, and there's a cool discordant melody from a synth over a low, foreboding synth. It's got such a cool sound to it that's hard to describe. I really love how that higher pitch synth sounds in the latter half of the song.

Track 11 is Popstar by Ahnist. This is a really good bedroom pop/rap track with a dream-like sound, it's perfect for when you're driving through the city at night. It's got a slick beat to it and the bars are nice. The slow-down outro is exquisite.

The penultimate track, Baila (de Valle a Valle) by Pink Light is a synthpop track entirely in Spanish. It's awesome, the synth feels like a whimsical, drifting dream and the beautiful vocals really give the track a beautiful and graceful sound. The song tells you not to let the confusion or the darkness of the world to get to you and to keep on dancing.

Our last track is Dormant by morher. Nearing 8 minutes in length, the track starts off ambient with some vocals fading in and out throughout the track. A few minutes in, the ambient noise begins to grow louder, and the track morphs into a noise track, swelling louder and louder until a sudden drop. It's a nice way to end the compilation, it bookends the opening track nicely.

As an altogether compilation, Pa La Raza is an excellent assortment that is varied yet tonally consistent. While all the tracks shine on their own, they work really well together as a combined package. Despite the very different vibe across the noise tracks and the more soothing tracks, they just segue together really nicely as a full listening experience.

Again, times have been hard, and the only way things will get better is by working together. Want to help people and support some artists? Check out the Bandcamp page for Pa La Raza where you can buy the album and find social media links for the various artists that contributed!

Thanks again to TV-MA for providing us with the cassette!

Album Spotlight: Pa La Raza