PLAYLIST: Chicano Soul 🎶

Hey friends, happy Friday!

This week's Subscribers Only playlist takes us on a pleasant cruise into the delightful sounds of Chicano Soul.

Chicano Soul (or Lowrider Soul) first sprung up in San Antonio, TX in the mid 50s where young, first-generation Mexican immigrants were trying to find a sound of their own that wasn't the Mariachi or Norteño music of their parents. They soon began making their own riff on American R&B and British Invasion Pop, slowing it down and upping the sappy sincerity and romance.

The sound quickly spread West, finding a strong foothold in East Los Angeles' Chicano communities. The early success Thee Midniters and Sunny & The Sunliners set the trajectory for the sound and the aesthetic, with many modern acts adopting a "thee" in their names as homage. The music is deeply nostalgic, and as much a part of Chicano identity as the lowrider cars you'll often hear it bumping from as they cruise past.