Mujeres

Led by fearless ringleader Luz Elena Mendoza, Y La Bamba fuses tropical beats and ethereal pop with colorful accents in *Mujeres*. Mendoza makes a lateral move from the whimsical folk of her project’s breakthrough release, 2016’s *Ojos del Sol*, by nurturing her inquisitive nature to deliver a savory amalgam of earthy Latin sounds with cheerful abandon. But she approaches this new chapter in her career with a bigger purpose in mind—she wrote *Mujeres* for her mother, and womanhood at large, pointedly addressing the misogyny that continues to plague generations upon generations. “Somos mujeres poderosas” (“we’re powerful women”), she rallies with a chorus of women’s voices over frenetic, Carnival-esque percussion and flamenco palmas on the infectious title track. But Mendoza’s reach extends far beyond her celebratory protest. Her moods ebb and flow like wild currents—“Lightning Storms” and “Una Letra” both speak of the value and patience of love over genteel, reverb-laced ambiance, while on “Conocidos,” she fully surrenders her control over a frantic pairing of tribal psychedelia and cumbia rhythms. “Hay que mover la sangre del cuerpo” (“we have to get that blood flowing”), she urges on album closer “De Lejos,” ending the party with a bang while also staying on message.

Y La Bamba has been many things, but at the heart of it is singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza’s inquisitive sense of self. Their fifth record, Mujeres, carries on the Portland-based band’s affinity for spiritual contemplation, but goes a step further in telling a story with a full emotional spectrum. Coming off Ojos Del Sol, one of NPR’s Top 50 Albums of 2016, Mujeres exhibits the scope of Mendoza’s artistic voice like never before. “Soy como soy,” Mendoza says, and that declaration is the bold— even political— statement that positions Mujeres to be Y La Bamba’s most unbridled offering yet. Mendoza forges new narratives from old stories of heritage and family, tracing history while forging modern chicana feminism. The raw honesty of Mujeres is in fact the raw honesty of Mendoza. Armed with the emotionality of traditional música mexicana and the storytelling of American folk, Y La Bamba’s artistry is not just their musical ability but Mendoza’s search for unadulterated truth. It is in an ancestral journey in which Mendoza comes to terms with the influence and limitations of her upbringing. While there is a celebration of the Mexican creativity that has informed Mendoza’s life, there is a darker side to reconcile with. Where do mujeres fit in to the American story? What are the sins for which we are all guilty? How do different generations interact with the world? How can a culture become visible without being tokenized? It is no surprise that in Mujeres, Y La Bamba’s first record with Mendoza at the helm of production, Mendoza contemplates these questions to tell her story. But it is not just Mendoza’s story. Challenging a narrative and dealing with the emotionality of that effort— that is everyone’s story.

During this whirlwind of dream pop, folk, and jubilant dance music rendered in Spanish and English, Luz Elena Mendoza steps forward as a singer and bandleader like never before.

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