Primera Linea by Las Palmas

In the most authentic artistic expression, the end result is never the mere sum of the parts but rather a secret code to reveal the deep reality of the world and, thus, of ourselves. So let us look at these parts.


On guitar and drums Las Palmas feature two young punks—born in the 00s but raised on 80s Italian punk—from Verona, one of the most conservative cities in Italy (what was it they used to say? Only from manure do flowers grow?) while vocals are handled by Emi, nomadic punk citizen of the world. The result of this combo is an explosive punk gem that exudes sincerity from the very first seconds of “Primera Linea”: Emi's unhinged hollering sounds like a call to action to ditch gray cities and oppressive jobs and set off on an adventure. Then the words come in: ‘Veo humanidad sin vida encerrada en jaulas / Rompiendo alas por sí mismos / Almas muertas / Espíritus bajo anestesia’ (‘I see lifeless humanity locked in cages / Breaking its own wings / Dead souls / Spirits under anesthesia’). Is there a better description of this decadent West? Can you think of a better opening for a punk record? 

But like in our favorite punk music, we don’t simply find an accurate description of the rot that surrounds us, but also, and above all, a vital momentum that does not wallow in itself: ‘Tengo una mochila llena de locura / Yo como fantasia’ (‘I have a backpack full of madness / I eat fantasy’).

And then again comes a brutally honest look and a frontal attack on neoliberal society: ‘El gran espectáculo de marionetas, poder infame / El grande se come al chiquito y yo vomito en tu pyramide’ (‘The great puppet show, abject power / The big eats the small and I puke on your pyramid’).

Minimal riffs and martial drums, sounding like they came straight out of some 80s squat basement, create the perfect foundation for this ode to uncompromising freedom.

Will Las Palmas ever play live? Will they record a whole album? We don't know, but we don’t expect much. Sometimes the wind of chaos blows hard enough to fly some gems in your lap, but the wind cannot be harnessed. In the meantime, let us rejoice in the radical freedom these young punks wrangled into these three songs, committing to tape a feeling that resounded deep inside of us: ‘Os habéis olvidado de vivir / Os habéis olvidado que gana quien ríe’ (You have forgotten to live / You forgot that victory belongs to the one who laughs’).


Did Las Palmas die before they were born? Long live Las Palmas!

'Primera Linea' is SFA013, first edition of 20 pro-dubbed solid white tapes with j-card and lyric sheet.

Punk music, art, writing

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