Song Blurbs for
the Let Them In EP
01
Ya Estoy Aquí (intro)
At the age of 18, Javier Ortega (drums) left his family and life behind in his hometown of Mendoza, Argentina to seek a better life for himself in New York City. After 20 years of being away, he received a visit from his mother, Modesta Gamez, who he hadn’t seen since his departure. During their time together, Javier recorded an audio interview with her in her native tongue of Quechua, which was then used for the track. In Ya Estoy Aquí, Modesta voices her own story of having to leave her home country of Bolivia behind with her single mother, in search of a better life. “Leaving our country behind… we suffer a lot. But you have to get used to it. What else can we do?” It’s a great example of how immigrants don’t always want to leave their home behind, and that many times it is out of necessity.
02
Let Them In
“Why do you fear those who don’t look the same as you?” With aggressive distortion and forward driving heartbeat, Let Them In is a song that speaks out against the absurd fear of the other. The same fear that tends to express itself through racist rhetoric and policies that failingly try to stop an occurrence that is ingrained in human existence: migration. The song is written in both English and Spanish. In some moments Fabián Caballero (Guitar & Vocals) takes on a voice of critique, while in others he writes from the perspective of those who journey across borders in search of safety and survival – “Tenemos que huir. Nos quieren matar. Ábrannos! (“We must flee. They want to kill us. Let us in!”). The composition itself dynamically travels through different moods and sounds, journeying from heavy distorted verses, to deep valleys of ambient soundscape and harmonial adlibs, to melancholy dance grooves. All of this culminates with archival news audio of migrants who are in the midst of their journey for a better life.
03
L.M.F.Y.
L.M.F.Y. (Let Me Feed You), is a playful ode to love and lust. Psych rock inspired grooves drive lyrics full of double entendres, “I can tell that you like mustard. You’re a very messy eater. Let me lick the stain off your shirt.” The song was inspired by a lucid dream that indeed involved mustard. Lyrically speaking, this is the most playful track from an EP that is majorly driven by themes of human loathing.
04
Out of the Office
Although playful in its reverb laden grooves, Out of the Office was composed as a therapeutic exercise in getting through moments of heavy negativity. In this case, a stagnant work life, a terrible roommate situation, and persistent social anxiety inspired a song that abstractly depicts sparks of anger and self-doubt, but also recognizes the ups and downs in life and the great need to love oneself.
05
Easy Saturday
Easy Saturday is a satirical critique of religious-inspired supremacy and warmongering. “I receive signals from up above. They give me orders to go to war.” Through cumbia grooves that juxtapose with alt-rock choruses and metal-inspired breakdowns, this song makes mockery of those with a superiority complex and their divine excuses for treating other humans as disposable.
06
Ancestros Líquidos
Heavy distortion, haunting vocal harmonies, and speed-metal breakdowns provide the backdrop for a letter of apology addressed to the life forms that came before us. Whether through the consumption of gasoline, coal, or plastics, our modern world still revolves heavily around petroleum. This substance is made from the remains of dead sea creatures and organisms that lived in the oceans millions of years ago. Seeing the destructive consequences from our abuse of ‘fossil fuels’ inspired the idea that these environmental disasters are in fact our ‘liquid ancestors’ coming back to punish us for abusing their remains. Translated into English, the second verse says, “Black gold. Liquid ancestors. I used you and I left you. Vengeance is yours.”