Written by: Jennifer Sanchez
In Y La Bamba’s new EP, Entre Los Dos, Luz Elena Mendoza continues to inwardly examine intimate parts of her life and experiments with unique arrangements that evoke feelings of melodramatic clarity.
Just earlier this year Y La Bamba released a full-length album, Mujeres, that showcased a raw narrative that dissected themes of identity, spirituality, and family in Mendoza’s life. The project was especially monumental because it was the first self-produced Y La Bamba album and has consequently allowed the group to encapsulate their truest personality.
With Entre Los Dos, Mendoza is still no stranger to introspection and continues to pour her heart out to listeners, while blending new sounds with those alluding to her Latinx roots. Singing in both English and Spanish, Mendoza reflects on her in-between feeling associated with her bicultural identity and how it has affected other parts of her life.
The title track especially stands out with its embodiment of Mendoza’s sentiments about being unsure of her place in her relationships. In fact, the title itself, “Entre Los Dos,” refers to a space between two people. While she struggles to come to a conclusion, she reaches a point of desperation where she says she admits she doesn’t think she can make things work with her lover. Repeating “No creo que puedo” (“I don’t think I can”), she decides her desires aren’t enough to make her into the partner her lover needs.
From start to finish, Mendoza’s confident vocals paired with the low-fi percussion and vibrato-filled verses that resemble incantations are what sustain her new EP. It’s a whirlwind of folk and dream pop soundscapes that draws you in from the first listen.
Listen to the full EP here: