Valencia, Spain has suffered unprecedented trauma in the deadliest flooding in decades, flooding made worse both by climate change and by government negligence. Artists and labels are responding in support of the communities, in an epic three-part collaborative compilation spearheaded by Valencia’s Ximo at Industrial Complexx.
Here, again, communities and volunteers have become essential to relief efforts, as government infrastructure has failed. Without being overly reductive, we live in a world of growing government failures and more accelerating climate catastrophe – a disastrous combination. World Weather Attribution has evaluated the severity of this flooding as related to climate change, as reported by Associated Press. NASA’s Earth Observatory captured the resulting devastation, as included in the feature image here. (At top, NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.)
But this is more than just a climate-made disaster; it’s also a story of government failure. The flooding and the government’s lack of response has also driven over 100,000 people into the streets in protest. In English, there’s some great reporting by The New Arab on how those come together, even as larger media outlets have missed some of the community mobilization:
The music compilation at least is a sign that there’s more to this region of Spain than just tourism and the generic international music industry. Think of it as a calling card for those efforts more than an end in itself. And I hope that some of the more deep-pocketed industry and artists who read CDM and engage in Ibiza and whatnot get wind of this and respond. Voume 1 and 2 are out now; volume 3 is coming:
Valencia’s own Ximo Noguera has put this together with his Industrial Complexx and labels like Faith Disciplines, Soil Records, Subsist records, HC Records, Fill-Lex Records, Unknown Pleasures Records, and Banshees Records, among others. The music ranges from post-punk to experimental to EBM and industrial and dark ambient, and it’s so extensive that you might well buy the three-part set as a guide to the underground in the region and all the partners they’ve worked with. I’m pleased to include one of my own tracks in there, too, in vol. 2 (off the release I did with Industrial Complexx). These are the kind of caring projects you want to be part of. Funds are going to ONG Algemesí Solidari.
Here’s the full accompanying text in both English and Spanish:
English:
(Resiliencia) Resilience is defined as the resistance of human beings to face and resist extreme and traumatic situations. The Valencian people, and many of us who have unfortunately experienced first-hand the devastation of nature in our homes, or in those of our closest relatives, have known the pros and cons of the meaning of resilience.
Industrial Complexx coordinates the release of a compilation album in which different artists and labels collaborate, such as Faith Disciplines, Soil Records, Subsist Records, HC Records, Fill-Lex Records, Unknown Pleasures Records or Banshees Records. The intention of this reference is to raise funds to help the NGO Algemesí Solidari (www.algemesisolidari.org). This is an organisation that acts directly in the towns most affected by the recent floods that hit Valencia.
This compilation will be active until this situation is resolved and the NGO, or any other, no longer needs any kind of financial support for this cause. It is an album that compiles a large amount of tracks, and with styles ranging from industrial to experimental, electronica, EBM, power electronics, dark ambient, post-punk, cold wave, dark wave…
As a Valencian project, like many of those who have contributed to this release, we feel deeply overwhelmed by all the expressions of affection received and by the willingness of many artists to support this cause, and we feel the need to help our fellow countrymen as much as possible.
Thank you for your support.
Español:
La resiliencia se define como la resistencia del ser humano para afrontar y resistir situaciones extremas y traumáticas. El pueblo valenciano, y muchos de los que lo habitamos y por desgracia, hemos experimentado de cerca la devastación de la naturaleza en nuestros hogares, o en los de los familiares más cercanos, hemos conocido los pros y los contras del significado de resiliencia.
Industrial Complexx coordina el lanzamiento de un álbum recopilatorio en el que colaboran distintos artistas y sellos, como Faith Disciplines, Soil Records, Subsist Records, HC Records, Fill-Lex Records, Unknown Pleasures Records o Banshees Records. La intención de esta referencia es la de recaudar fondos económicos para ayudar a la ONG Algemesí Solidari (www.algemesisolidari.org). Se trata de una organización que actúa directamente en las poblaciones más afectadas por la DANA que ha padecido recientemente Valencia.
Este recopilatorio estará activo hasta que esta situación se solucione y la ONG, o cualquier otra, deje de necesitar cualquier tipo de apoyo económico para esta causa. Se trata de un álbum que recopila una gran cantidad de pistas, y con estilos que van desde industrial a experimental, electrónica, EBM, power electronics, dark ambient, post-punk, cold wave, dark wave…
Como proyecto valenciano, al igual que muchos de los que han contribuido en este lanzamiento, nos sentimos profundamente abrumados por todas las muestras de cariño recibidas y por la disponibilidad de muchos artistas para apoyar esta causa, y sentimos la necesidad de ayudar a nuestros paisanos en la medida de lo posible.
Gracias por vuestro apoyo.
Separate from Industrial Complexx, my friend Sarkha, a producer here originally from Valencia, recommends this video for content in English (check out her music, too):