La Armada is releasing a series of singles titled Songs of the Exiled, all dedicated to "one of the places we were born, or have lived in, that have shaped us and our political stances." La Armada formed in the Dominican Republic in 2001 and has since migrated to Florida, and then eventually Chicago.
Just as its music reflects its background, so does its message. La Armada describes its political stance to be that of "decolonizing and anti-fascist lyrics, which criticize the politics of both the US and the Dominican Republic." Denouncing historical atrocities and also pointing out flaws in modern-day society – racism, police brutality, prisons for profit, to name a few – the band has put its money where its mouth is, with a long history of organizing concerts and events to raise funds for causes such as the American Civil Liberties Union and for grassroots organizations in the Caribbean.
The first in the series is called Songs of the Exiled I: Chicago and we're streaming the new song "Plagued," which doubles as the band's debut of new vocalist Casper Torres. Songs of the Exiled I: Chicago is out March 27.
