Cultura Dura is a Remezcla and Mike’s HARDER content and event series highlighting emerging Latin urban culture. We’ll be exploring scenes that haven’t really gotten any coverage anywhere else – from block parties and street art to underground sports and raw, young artists making movements pa’ la calle.

Meet Fiasco: DJ, writer, producer, and nightlife fixture between New York City and San Juan that, put in her own words, can be best summarized as “a misfit and an alien that is all about going fucking hard behind decks.” Also known to some also as Lola Pistola, this hardworking artist can also be found on tour as part of AJ Dávila’s band Terror Amor, on the mic with Füete Billete (as spotted at Cultura Dura’s stop in New York), throwing her signature “Dark Matter” parties at beloved Brooklyn rave establishment Bossa Nova Civic Club, or even on a North American tour with Burger Records’ Caravan of the Stars.

Fiasco took a break between projects to record an exclusive club-ready mixtape for Cultura Dura; press play and get to know the artist here.

How would you explain the evolution between your Lola Pistola vs. Fiasco projects?

I don’t think it’s necessarily an evolution, rather than two things that need to exist simultaneously. There’s no difference. Fiasco is Lola Pistola’s DJ persona. Sometimes, I do DJ under the name of Lola Pistola, but I’ve rarely done that in NY. Lola Pistola is the name behind my writing and my poetry, while Fiasco is centered around music, nightlife, and certain debauchery. They happily live within the same body. Kind of fun.

What’s it like playing for crowds in New York versus San Juan? What are the scenes you’re involved in?

I think comparing both crowds would not be fair. Playing in the US, specifically in New York, is a whole different experience based on the vibe. The crowd in the NY scene have experienced multiple genres, and the approach they have toward music feels very genuine and lifestyle-esque. In Puerto Rico, there’s the people who’ve been living and breathing the nightlife and try to preserve it as they remember it and wish it could be, and then there’s the recent boom of EDM festivals in the Island, which have diverted the community, in search of their personal dance party experience.

There were amazing spots that will forever live among those who really enjoy dance music. I mean, I came fairly late to the scene and the spot that had the best music and whole ideology behind it was Red Shield (but that was my generation). SO MANY people would drop names of places I didn’t even knew existed. But Red Shield was then, what Bossa is now for me; a petite dance floor, with amazing people behind the decks, magical vibes, and overall love.

I mean, also, I come from the punk scene in PR. That was first, then the electronic scene. Also, it was easy to dwell within both crowds ‘cause PR is so little that there’s no time to decide where to or not to go; also half the people that go to punk shows go a un rave, y viceversa. La gente lo quiere es parisear y no escatiman en donde. Y Puerto Rico tiene the bests bands, and that’s the truth. I don’t see that in NY.

I do wish people in PR were more open to experiment with other genres in the electronic dance music scene. And I say this out of personal experience. I saw my ex go from project to project feeling frustrated by the sounds he was making; inspired by dance scenes in Europe or the US, and it sounded sometimes even better than the places the music came from, but it was going nowhere in PR. And it was a shame. I also think, and I’m not there now to really grasp it, but after my last trip there, I came to realize that a lot of people have the same curiosity of diversifying in genre and music styles, and are developing new sounds, and opening new venues to accommodate this creative urgencies. Let’s see what happens. Puerto Rico es cool y tiene a las personas más talentosas del mundo, pero es lento con cojones en abrirse a nuevas cosas, y esa es la clara.

What’s the concept behind your “Dark Matter” parties at Bossa Nova Civic Club?

“Dark Matter” was the evolution of the first series of parties I threw at Bossa that were called “Gloss.” DM is a dance showcase, which emphasizes on dark-dungeony tunes and vibes, that are possible thanks to the collection and curation of amazing techno tracks (and derivative genres). The DJs that have played the night come with the mentality of playing tunes to ensure a certain climatic experience with the help of electronic dance music.

Where can we catch you next live?

Aside from djing, I sing and play tambourine in AJ Dávila’s band, Terror Amor. We’ll be playing Supersonico Festival at the Shrine Expo Hall & Grounds in downtown Los Angeles on October 11th. After that, we’ll be embarking on a North American tour, as part of Burger Records’ Caravan of the Stars tour! After that, I’ll be back in New York and will continue the Dark Matter dates at Bossa, and hopefully sharing my own tracks before the year ends. So, catch me causing havoc and ruining lives across the nation. You’re welcome, America.

What are some of the new sounds you’re digging?

I am all about new sounds! Lately I’ve been into Wife from TriAngle Records, Patten from Warp, Dodger Stadium from Body High, Rebekah, and Sophie’s newest tracks. I’ve had in the past months on repeat tracks by Nitoniko, DJ Rashad (RIP), Poter Elvinger, White Lung, Evian Christ, Slick Shoota, Curses, Helado Negro, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and many more. I can go from folk, to punk, to bass music, in a snap.

Tell me a bit about the tracks you selected for this mix.

The mix you guys are going to be listening to are a homage to the magical adventure that I experienced at Sustain-Release [festival in upstate New York]. Minimal vocals. Mucho techno, poca salsa.