DIASPORA PROBLEMS: ALBUM REVIEW

Representing Philly and their diasporic communities, Soul Glo is the product of vocalist Pierce Jordan, bassist, vocalist Gianmarco “GG” Guerra, drummer T.J Stevenson, and guitar frontman Ruben Polo. Four immensely talented artists come together to create a counter-culture project that speaks its truth with no intention to ever compromise.

Soul Glo is no stranger to controversy and honesty towards Western political culture. Their first project, untitled, sports a burning U.S flag as the album cover, and includes tracks such as “Violence Against Black Women Goes Largely Unreported.” Though the band was first conceived around 2015, Diaspora Problems is their debut that took over five years to make. The product is an incredibly well-executed hardcore album that compartmentalizes the trauma and consequences of the immigrant experience. In full Garage Band hardcore fashion, I missed quite an amount of lyrics and storytelling through rough vocal mixes — but that’s just part of the experience.

In its 12-track run time, Diaspora Problems is a genre warping matrix that incorporates sounds of rap, post-punk, and screamo — all while staying consistent with the established Soul Glo style and brand. Every track has a signature Soul Glo sound while demonstrating influence from another genre. Having a clear start and end to the album sonically and conceptually, there is never a repetitive moment. There’s always something interesting happening, from the beat to the melodies, that keeps my head rockin’ and spirits talkin’. 

There are a multitude of moments where a switch-up comes at you — not off guard, but as a surprise guest. The album never loses steam, as there is a clear mission and the group works towards it. The project itself came off as one nonstop performance. Only moments of intervals in tone provide the breaks of the diasporic train.

Diaspora Problems takes the form of incarnated anger towards imperialism. The liberal fetishization of immigration is a consequence of the immigrant plight — resulting in decades of pandering to U.S interests and creating the model immigrant: a body not fleeing war, but seeking opportunity in “the land of the free.”

Diaspora Problems aims to shed any idea that frames immigrants as opportunity chasers and instead talks about the reality of fleeing state-sanctioned violence and induced poverty.The anger present is not targeted towards “the man” or any co-opted trendy target but instead at the power structures that have affected multiple generations of immigrants. Diaspora Problems tackles the consequences of capitalism, imperial violence, and unconditional love — subject matters that most hardcore bands fail to properly contextualize if touched upon.

Despite having heavy themes explored in their entirety, songs like “Driponomics” and “Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?)” still seek joy. The album opener “Whogonbeatmyass?” has a very upbeat and whimsical start (START). The chorus gradually grows more emotional until the lid explodes with a verse constantly repeating “I’m doing just, just, just fine” while vocalist Pierce Jordan is screaming until his throat bleeds.

It is incredible how much dense and digestible lyricism is packed under vocalist Pierce Jordans’ rugged and passionate singing. Entire paragraphs are laid out in plain sight and it’s easy to miss versatile bars and thought-provoking lines. “Standing tall on Target stores thinking they snipers and not fucking corny / Anyone who's on reform is really an informant / I take the bullet, you take the ballot, peaceful protest is fucking boring”. “(Five Years And) My Family” is an incredible demonstration of compact storytelling with elements that warrant a re-read and a deeper analysis that comes full circle. 

Diaspora Problems doesn’t rave about the fetishization of the migrant struggle, but instead releases the frustration of imperial powers constantly affecting generations of Black and brown people. Through brash and coordinated rifts and backing vocals, Diaspora Problems speaks its truth in the noisiest yet most genuine way.

Beyond the walls of heavy bass chords and sonic industrial scratches lies intricate and personal stories exploring intimate conversations surrounding trauma with loved ones, early radicalization in the immigrant community, and continuing an upbringing on the foundation of love through a world of generational violence. Soul Glo decolonizes punk through incorporating a spirit of rebellion free of any liberal co-opting.