Western Vinyl have unveiled two final teasers for the upcoming benefit compilation Passages: Artists in Solidarity with Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers, released today: Friday, December 5th. New singles from Lambchop (“Afterburner”) and Y La Bamba (“Wrong Crowd”) set the tone for a collection defined by intimacy and urgency (listen below).
The premise of Passages is simple: artists were asked to write and record original songs in places that feel like “home.” Captured in home studios and even on phones, the resulting recordings—from a lineup that includes Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), Dirty Projectors, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Alan Sparhawk—are raw and immediate.
Proceeds from the album benefit American Gateways and Casa Marianella, two Texas organisations providing legal services, shelter, and healthcare to displaced populations. Organisers Emilie Rex and Rick Alverson emphasise that the project is a defence of human dignity: “When immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers exercise their human right to safe passage, they defend our ability to do so—and our right to be and feel at home.”
On his contribution, Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner shares: “Wish that it were anywhere near enough to make the slightest dent in what needs to occur. Consequently, we do what we can, through intent, understanding, action, love.”
Luz Elena from Y La Bamba shares: “This song was written for and about many reasons. It’s about finding yourself through struggle. So many things come up like being misplaced, misunderstood, being vulnerable, grieving, compassion… I can go on. I feel a deep despair but I’m always trying to find a way to create visibility for my family and my communities. We don’t talk about how much we need to nurture our mental health as we are trying to keep things together for others and ourselves. Thank you for having me to be part of this project. I hope this message lands well.”
To bridge the gap between listening and action, organisers are hosting “Listening Sessions” featuring DJs and local advocacy groups, starting in Chicago on December 4th and continuing in New York on January 8th. The album is available digitally now and as a limited-edition LP featuring liner notes by National Book Award winner Jason De León.
Order now via Bandcamp: https://westernvinyl.bandcamp.com/album/passages-artists-in-solidarity-with-immigrants-refugees-and-asylum-seekers