Video premiere: High Grass, ’90 Miles’

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High Grass

It’s “90 Miles” from Cuba to the United States, a distance much greater when measured politically rather than physically. It’s also the title of the latest single from L.A.-based rock duo High Grass.

The band is the project of Cuban guitarist-producer Marciel Miranda and Armenian-Russian vocalist Kristina Miranda. They got their start in 2011 when Kristina moved from Moscow to Havana to record her album, and in 2016 they were nominated for “Best Rock Band in Cuba,” but took their music to the U.S. because of limitations in that country. (There was no internet until 2015, no record stores and High Grass’ “The Black Door” EP was recorded in a small, homemade studio.)

Highlighted by the single “Tonight,” that EP got a proper release earlier this year. “90 Miles,” written and produced by the Mirandas and mixed by Grammy-winning producer Jacquire King, came out last week.

“I lived in Havana for five years,” Kristina Miranda says. “Even though there was no internet at the time, and it was difficult to buy food, clothes or a pack of strings for the guitar, it was magical. The Cuban people have such a strong spirit, positive outlook and crazy energy. However, many of them are forced to escape their homeland in search of a better life to support their families. While we lived there, we saw our friends leave and heard stories of how families were torn apart.

“We wanted to shine some light on the situation in Cuba to show the world what is happening. During these hard times, I feel the song may resonate not only with Cuban people, but with anyone who is currently far away from their loved ones. We want them to know they are not alone.”

The song is an emotional, energetic alt-rocker, and the “90 Miles” video, directed by Marcos Louit and Kristina Miranda and filmed by Alain López, was made before High Grass relocated to the U.S. “It is a living memory of our band’s first chapter,” the duo says, including footage of High Grass performing near the famed Havana lighthouse.

||| Watch: The video for “90 Miles”

||| Also: Stream the song here