Vicente Pedraza and I chatted with Dublab co-founder, Frosty for LAndscapes his show on Red Bull Radio, which explores the “rich and varied musical landscape that is Los Angeles.” We spoke in bustling Santee Alley–LA’s own tianguis–over aguas frescas.
I selected from Discos Barba Azul’s catalogue, Shark & Lobo DJ MP3-loaded CDs bought over the years in D.F. (shout-out to Vamanos for sharing “Cumbia Lorana”), and a live recording of Sonido Rumbandela performing at our release party.
Discover the stimulating world of cumbia sonidera with blazing jams culled from the vaults of prolific Los Angeles label Discos Barba Azul.
Alexandra Lippman AKA Xandão is an anthropologist seeking cultural insight through sound. Her new compilation, ¡Un Saludo! Mexican Soundsystem Cumbia in LA, is an exploration of cumbia sonidera, a genre in which DJs, or sonideros, send echo-drenched shoutouts over shuffling rhythms. These border-shattering saludos are affectionate transmissions connecting loved ones across time and space. Vicente Pedraza’s Los Angeles label, Discos Barba Azul, released nearly 150 cumbia sonidera albums during its existence. ¡Un Saludo! is an energetic compilation featuring highlights from this vast catalog. With the album freshly out on Dutty Artz and Sahel Sounds spin-off imprint Songs From Home, Xandão and Pedraza join Frosty on LAndscape to shed light on this distinctive sound story.