San Diego’s Los Saints are fresh off the release of their new EP, Welcome To Confusion, on Enci Records, continuing to build on the success of their recent singles and forging ahead into the future.
Los Saints is comprised of first-generation Mexican American cousins Angel Mariscal and Emiliano Garcia, alongside mutual friend Gianluca Exposito, originating from the southern San Diego County town of Chula Vista.
“Chula Vista is a town right next to the Mexican border. This makes it an extremely unique city with the amount of different cultural backgrounds present, Latin culture being one of the most present cultures here,” Mariscal says. “Growing up, there wasn’t much to do here and although there’s a bit more now, the lack of activities, in combination with the cultural mix, is what, I believe, sparked the vast amount of art scenes that are present here. A good example of visual arts that represent the Latin culture here is Chicano Park, and for music, the entirety of Chula Vista really. There’s an insane amount of musicians and a really big scene here.”
They promote a sound that is familiar and foreign all at once, a reflection of their own varied listening habits ranging from halcyon dream pop to contemporary hip-hop and everything in between.
As they relish in the release of their five-track EP, New Noise had the opportunity to catch up with Mariscal to chat more about the new release, the band’s journey so far, and the road ahead.
Hey, Angel! First off, congrats on the new EP! With the release of the first few singles, and now the new EP, Welcome To Confusion, how are y’all feeling looking back at 2022 so far and ahead to the rest of the year?
Hello! Super excited for the future. From the first few singles to our recent EP, we’ve been through many changes as a band and as people. We still have a lot to go, but we’re only going up from here!
So glad to hear it! What has it been like to take this journey as a band since formation, and to continue moving along this path, when you all knew each other previously, outside of the context of music?
It’s been life-altering, really. I mean, music has an effect on people, including on the ones that make it. Personally, if it weren’t for music and my band’s existence, I don’t know where I’d be right now because this has allowed so much growth for mental expression.
It’s been character building, and I think that reflects in the music. First, it started with the first few singles that I made in my bedroom. Then it was our first single that we collaborated as a three piece with “I’m In Need.” Now (or more like in 2021), came our entire, three-piece project with Welcome To Confusion! Full power! It’s been a fun experience with many teachable moments, not only as artists but as people figuring out life, man, and the learning/changing hasn’t stopped!
Absolutely, recognizing where you’ve come from really feels like a good compass to steer where you’re headed. So, about Welcome To Confusion—How does it feel to finally have the EP out in the world? What has the reception been like so far?
Excellent. It was a year in the making really, at least from the recording process to the release. If we count the process of completing the songs from the minute-long demos I started with before I completed them with Emiliano and Gianluca, it was a little over a year.
Reception’s been sick. We’ve gotten a lot of support from local bands such as Homeview, Wizard, Audrey & The Sound Gallery, Violet Seas, the singer of which played bass with us for a few shows before we found our official bassist! We’ve also gotten support from local magazines such as Carbon Hotel, an amazing live videographer Reid Blase, and super sweet listeners from surprising places sending us DMs from the U.K.! It’s been great and motivating. I can go on forever.
I can imagine that has to be pretty affirming and cathartic after all the work you put into it. I know you’ve described Welcome To Confusion as a coming of age record, and a majority of the EP came together after your breakup. How does it feel, coming full circle, in sharing these experiences with listeners after some time has passed?
This EP was definitely my most successful attempt by far to be able to express certain feelings. So although the EP was about a breakup, I don’t think about it as a project about a breakup, but more like a pat on the back try at my own self-analysis and healing. Knowing that my inner thoughts are out there for anyone and everyone to listen to is what I care about. I’ve already been told by some that the EP’s emotions and their story align all too well, and that is so cool. I hope our EP turns into a timeless record!
That’s such a magic part about creating art, when others can see themselves in your work and experience. Musically and thematically, how does Welcome To Confusion compare to some of your previously released singles?
It doesn’t really and I don’t mean that in a bad way—I just mean that, when I compare the two things, I can see and hear/feel the growth of us as a band, us as people, and especially me as a person, but a growth that closed one chapter and opened up the next. It’s just so much more raw. And the level of vulnerability that was put into the EP is something that has never been done before by me. I mean, in general, for everyone, it takes pain to open up, but here’s to sad hours!
As Los Saints put the track list together, and now that you are sharing it with the world, what do you hope listeners get out of this project?
Honestly, the thing I want the most is connection! Whoever gave our EP a listen, this is us! And this is me. I want them to feel like they want to hop on this unpredictable journey with us. So, listening to this project automatically makes us friends now.
Yeah! I love that. And reflecting on this EP, do you see the experience of creating Welcome To Confusion as something that will inform the band’s sound and work in the future?
Yes, I would say so. This EP made me realize that I can be as open as I want to be, lyrically and instrumentally. I’m still learning the craft, definitely, but I feel more confident in my abilities to express! So in that sense, Welcome to Confusion 100% informs our future work.
In terms of our sound, when we were choosing the songs to work on for the album from my demos, we chose songs that, while they sound similar, they don’t sound repetitive, ya know? And that kinda does inform our future songs in the sense that, our songs will definitely differ from one to another, but we’ll always sound like us.
Well, it’s been a pleasure. Thanks for your time, and congrats again! Looking ahead, is there anything in particular Los Saints has in store you’d like to tease, or anything else you’d like to add?Beanies in the summer, Ruffles, Korn. This will all make sense soon.
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Watch the video for “Lost You” here:
For more from Los Saints, find them on Instagram and Twitter.
Photo courtesy of Stu Alfano
