Variety and awesomeness is what makes KKSM Radio a unique station and Jafet’s Panoramico Radio is one of the latest additions to the family that proves exactly that. As we know, musicians have use their talents to talk about feelings, inner thoughts, social issues and more throughout the history of music. But lately, we have been listening and paying attention to the work of one popular Rock/Indie band from Guadalajara, Mexico. They are Porter and they last album titled Moctezuma, released back in 2014, incorporated folklore music from Pre-Hispanic Mexico and mixed it up with electronic and acoustic beats resulting in a wonderful musical piece. What’s even more amazing about this album are the lyrics; they narrate the history of Mexico, from the discovery of the American continent until the fall of the Mexicas (Indigenous people that founded the two cities of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco).
Let’s break down the meaning of this album. First, the name of the album, Moctezuma, means “Lord of Lords” in the ancient Nahualt language. He was the last governor of Tenochtitlan, city where the Aztec Empire were located before it fell to Spaniard troops. Second, the cover art shows a hummingbird which symbolizes the God of War; Huitzilopochtli. The Aztecs believed that warriors who were killed in battle reincarnated as hummingbirds.
Next, the album is made of 8 songs that tell in chronological order the arrival of Spaniards all the way to the fall of the Aztec Empire. Songs like “M Bosque” and “La China” talk about the land of Ixtlan and the travels to find a prophesied place that later became Tenochtitlan. Another song that pops out the most is “Huitzil” which is short for Huitzilopochtli and also means Hummingbird in Nahualt. It was believed that this God was responsible for the victories and defeats of the Aztec people and for this reason was important to provide constant tribute and food for him which during those times meant human sacrifices .
Later on the album we can listen to “Rincon Yucateco” which narrates the moment when Spaniard conquistadores started to strip land and gold away from the natives. Lyric fragments like “I got lost along with the brightness of pearls/so beautiful is their color that they kill to have them” hints the way Aztecs lost their belongings. The last song, “Palapa,” closes the cycle of the Aztec empire and ignites the hope by telling us to use “Peace and love to release [ourselves] from injustice, always give your best.”
And just like that, an Indie band gives us a history lesson trough music. Let’s call it Musication! If you want to hear more great stuff, tune into KKSM AM1320 and listen Panoramico Radio every Thursday from 3-6PM where you can listen to more awesome artists like Porter that will take you to the past and talk about the future while you enjoy the present. Jafette out…(Mic dropped).
