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LA BANDA CHUSKA
Surf-Cumbia Psych from
New York City
Surf-Cumbia Psych from
New York City
I. A TECHNICOLOR MUTT FROM NEW YORK CITY
Born of the global experimentalism of New York City, La Banda Chuska defies conventional genre boundaries with a
fearless fusion of surf rock and cumbia. Their music is a technicolor explosion of harmonized accordion, guitar, and
keyboard riffs — delivered with outlandish stage looks, infectious energy, and full-throttle audience participation.
Since forming in 2019, La Banda Chuska has been attracting crowds with performances that blur the line between concert
and performance art. The band has appeared at major cultural institutions, including the Brooklyn Museum, Lincoln Center, and
The Kennedy Center has earned a reputation as a live act that turns curious listeners into ecstatic dancers.
John Schaefer — NPR New Sounds
“The New York group La Banda Chuska takes psychedelic cumbia and adds elements of ’60s surf guitar and ’80s dance
rock to create a fun, international kind of party music.”
The name “Chuska” — Peruvian slang for mutt — perfectly captures the band’s identity: a joyful hybrid mixing musical seeds
from many continents into a single, unruly sonic garden.
fearless fusion of surf rock and cumbia. Their music is a technicolor explosion of harmonized accordion, guitar, and
keyboard riffs — delivered with outlandish stage looks, infectious energy, and full-throttle audience participation.
Since forming in 2019, La Banda Chuska has been attracting crowds with performances that blur the line between concert
and performance art. The band has appeared at major cultural institutions, including the Brooklyn Museum, Lincoln Center, and
The Kennedy Center has earned a reputation as a live act that turns curious listeners into ecstatic dancers.
John Schaefer — NPR New Sounds
“The New York group La Banda Chuska takes psychedelic cumbia and adds elements of ’60s surf guitar and ’80s dance
rock to create a fun, international kind of party music.”
The name “Chuska” — Peruvian slang for mutt — perfectly captures the band’s identity: a joyful hybrid mixing musical seeds
from many continents into a single, unruly sonic garden.
II. PSYCHEDELIC CUMBIA MEETS SURF & POST-PUNK
At the core of La Banda Chuska’s sound is an inviting mélange where the infectious rhythms of Peruvian psychedelic
cumbia collide with reverb-drenched surf guitars and the propulsive pulse of post-punk dance music. Their songs are
playful yet precise, hypnotic yet explosive — designed for movement, not museum glass.
The band’s irreverent spirit carries through every aspect of their performances. A surreal synth baby tours with the group,
stage personas shift mid-set, and the crowd is never treated as a passive observer. Each show becomes a shared
celebration — a slightly unhinged, deeply joyful international dance party.
Brooklyn Magazine — Best in Brooklyn Music 2023
“It’s no wonder they’re playing big stages; the band’s energetic combination of psychedelia, surf, and Peruvian cumbia
sounds as if the B-52s had a baby and put it to sleep to the Roots of Chicha compilations.”
cumbia collide with reverb-drenched surf guitars and the propulsive pulse of post-punk dance music. Their songs are
playful yet precise, hypnotic yet explosive — designed for movement, not museum glass.
The band’s irreverent spirit carries through every aspect of their performances. A surreal synth baby tours with the group,
stage personas shift mid-set, and the crowd is never treated as a passive observer. Each show becomes a shared
celebration — a slightly unhinged, deeply joyful international dance party.
Brooklyn Magazine — Best in Brooklyn Music 2023
“It’s no wonder they’re playing big stages; the band’s energetic combination of psychedelia, surf, and Peruvian cumbia
sounds as if the B-52s had a baby and put it to sleep to the Roots of Chicha compilations.”
III. A LIVE EXPERIENCE YOU DON’T JUST WATCH
La Banda Chuska doesn’t simply perform songs — they build worlds onstage. Their live shows are colorful, immersive, and
slightly surreal, balancing tight musicianship with joyful chaos. Every set invites the audience into the band’s universe,
where genre rules dissolve and dance floors form instantly.
The lineup brings this vision to life with Erica Mancini (accordion, vocals), Adele Fournet (organ, vocals), Felipe Wurst, and
Sam Day Harmet (guitars), Abe Pollack (bass), and Jordan Auber (drums).
Delarue — New York Music Daily
“A surreal mashup of the B-52s, Los Crema Paraiso, and maybe The Police. We need more from this imaginative, original crew.”
slightly surreal, balancing tight musicianship with joyful chaos. Every set invites the audience into the band’s universe,
where genre rules dissolve and dance floors form instantly.
The lineup brings this vision to life with Erica Mancini (accordion, vocals), Adele Fournet (organ, vocals), Felipe Wurst, and
Sam Day Harmet (guitars), Abe Pollack (bass), and Jordan Auber (drums).
Delarue — New York Music Daily
“A surreal mashup of the B-52s, Los Crema Paraiso, and maybe The Police. We need more from this imaginative, original crew.”
