La Banda Chuska merges the sounds of vintage Peruvian cumbia and psychedelic chicha with 1960s Latin American and Middle Eastern surf rock. They then add a dose of the surreal intensity of New York City to amplify their diverse musical and cultural backgrounds: Peru, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and various corners of the U.S. The result is a fireball of post-punk energy and subversive playfulness, a sort of tropical funk meets The B-52s. La Banda Chuska’s self-titled EP is a darkly cinematic, musically expansive, and eminently danceable weirdo party on wax that’s whipped up the fanbase they attract at regular performances at Brooklyn’s Barbés and other NYC music mainstays. For their Lincoln Center debut, they’ll play songs from their first EP and introduce new cuts from their forthcoming LP.
