Just over two years after they first came onto the LA scene and worked their way in front of countless crowds with their brand of cumbia, Zac Sokolow (Guitar), Jake Faulkner (Bass), and Nicholas Baker (Drums/Percussion), known together as LA LOM, have finally released their self-titled debut album out via Verve Records.

While always the type to respect those who came before them, either through their various covers or the very style they’ve embraced, La Lom’s debut album is a testament to how they bridge the modern day to the mid-20th century.

Although the album comes in at a slim 13 tracks under 40 minutes, it might be hard to believe a full-length project void of vocals can have a variety of styles and emotions at play. But with the help of producer Elliot Bergman at Studio Figueroa, the three came into their own as artists, an improvement that will likely be matched by their connectedness on stage.

As seasoned live performers, it’s only fitting that LA LOM is going on their biggest tour yet in light of their debut album. Taking the same intimacy they’ve become known for in their smaller gigs around the LA area, LA LOM will be playing an NYC show at Webster Hall on Dec. 11, which will be the biggest headline show they ever played. They will also be playing in LA at The Mayan on Oct. 18 and in Ventura at the Ventura Music Hall on Nov. 1.

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Capturing the Sizzling Heat of Southern California

Apart from the many track titles named after locations only true Angelenos would know, LA LOM knows the atmosphere of LA like the back of their hands. “San Fernando Rose,” one of the singles released prior to the album, starts with a brooding guitar that would make Santana proud. When the percussion comes into the fray, the once-dark atmosphere is made more varied and lush, perfect for soundtracking the ups and downs of a couple parked on a lover’s lane. The instrumentation in the second half swirls with an emotional intensity equivalent to the sun’s scorching rays.

Similarly, “Danza De LA LOM” is a much more bouncy groove featuring percussion that begs you to tap your feet. The constant segues into the song’s other segments keep you on edge yet willing to go along with the rhythm as if LA LOM already perfected human hypnosis this early into their career. Although there are no words or clues as to whether the song has a narrative, the energy in the music is reminiscent of an LA backyard party that doesn’t wind down until the break of dawn.

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Using Cumbia as a Vehicle

It’s no secret that LA LOM stays loyal to cumbia in any given song of theirs. Right at the album’s beginning, the “Angels Point” opener eases you into LA LOM’s world with a guitar and bass spread across the percussion like butter. Even for those unfamiliar with cumbia, the genre is instantly recognizable in the hands of LA LOM. Elsewhere, they manage to work with other influences outside of cumbia and streamline those influences into their DNA. “San Fernando Rose” combines Selena with 60s girl groups so successfully that it’s a surprise more artists don’t do the same.

The most impressive aspect of LA LOM as a collective is how each individual track has an identity of its own. While that was apparent from the get-go of their career, the aptitude for crafting unique songs is further proven on the album. “El Sereno” and “Danza De LA LOM” come from different sonic and emotional spaces, with the former having a more mellow and disciplined tone in comparison to the latter’s frenetic fervor.

Creating Harmony Together

Whether or not you’ve been to an LA LOM show, there’s no denying they have a certain symbiosis with one another that makes them function more like a hive mind than detached members of a struggling group. “Ghosts of Gardena,” which happens to be one of the strongest tracks on the album, is the band at their most locked-in. Each instrument exhibits its own level of mysticism as the kineticism between all three members ties the song’s many sections together without ever sounding like an entirely different track. In a similar fashion, “Moonlight Over Montebello” is the perfect theme for a midnight walk in the desert as LA LOM works in unison to create wildly different songs from the same instruments.

Even though cumbia and other similar genres have long been a fixture in Latin America, it was not until recently that those diverse sonic textures finally carried over to the States and quickly occupied a space in music today. But what stands out about LA LOM is how you could put them at any point in cumbia’s long history and they wouldn’t feel out of place.

If anything, the fact that their lack of vocals is more than made up for the impassioned performances on each and every one of their songs goes to show how less is more in some cases. When stacked against other musicians exploring cumbia, whether flirtatiously or fully dedicated, LA LOM are the poster boys for what the genre can do today.

Words: David Sosa

Visit LA LOM on their website and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and their upcoming tour, which includes a Pioneertown at Pappy + Harriet’s on Sept. 28, an LA date at The Mayan on Oct. 18 and a Ventura date at the Ventura Music Hall on Nov. 1.

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LA LOM Tour Dates:

08/09/24 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
08/11/24 – Telluride Jazz Festival – Telluride, CO
08/12/24 – Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM
08/31/24 – Fool in Love – Inglewood, CA
09/14/24 – Lowbrow Palace – El Paso, TX
09/15/24 – Ballroom Marfa – Marfa, TX
09/18/24 – The Kessler Theater – Dallas, TX
09/19/24 – Scoot Inn – Austin, TX
09/20/24 – Stable Hall – San Antonio, TX
09/21/24 – The Heights Theater – Houston, TX
09/24/24 – Hotel Congress Plaza – Tucson, AZ
09/25/24 – The Orpheum Theater – Flagstaff, AZ
09/28/24 – Pappy & Harriet’s Outdoors – Pioneertown, CA
09/29/24 – Ohana Music and Arts Festival – Dana Point, CA
10/03/24 – The Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA
10/10/24 – Felton Music Hall – Felton, CA
10/12/24 – Bimbo’s 365 Club – San Francisco, CA
10/18/24 – The Mayan – Los Angeles, CA
10/19/24 – Ventura Music Hall – Ventura, CA
11/01/24 – Crossing Border Festival – The Hague, NL
11/02/24 – Take Root Festival – Groningen, NL
11/09/24 – Pitchfork Music Festival – London, UK