Somos sólo ruido

The song Somos sólo ruido, which opens the album La cultura de la basura by Los Prisioneros, is a piece that plays with criticism and self-awareness. Composed by Claudio Narea and with lead vocals by Miguel Tapia, this track is presented as a direct response to the observations and remarks the group received. Its intentionally simple sound, with effects that could be considered "awful," along with vocals that seem out of sync, is a deliberate parody of the criticisms about their supposed sonic deficiency or disorganization in their performances. It is a very particular and fun way of addressing the stylistic and production criticisms they were accused of.

Within this composition, curious sonic details can be appreciated. For example, fragments of trumpet reminiscent of Louis Armstrong are heard, a sample that would later reappear in another song. Additionally, a phrase spoken by Tapia is included. It is interesting to note that Somos sólo ruido was never performed live by Los Prisioneros as a full band, although both Narea and Tapia have played it in their later projects. The album La cultura de la basura, released in 1987, had different editions; the Chilean version contained 14 tracks, while the 1988 Latin American edition, distributed in countries like Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela, featured 10 songs, including We are sudamerican rockers instead of Somos sólo ruido.

In Ecuador, also in 1988, there was a vinyl edition with a different selection of tracks. The album title, La cultura de la basura, referred to the neoliberal culture that was consolidating in Chile during the 1980s.