MOBIVSTRIP

Los Angeles

While new and traditional recorded music from much of the planet is available instantly, some overseas rock musicians are hooked on decades-old influences from the U.S. and the U.K. They are making music with nary a trace of their own national identities.

At Culture Collide, a three-day festival held last weekend in the Echo Park neighborhood here, almost all of the 60 or so bands on the bill from 19 countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., did what they do at home: played forms of indie rock with roots in late 20th-century America and Britain—with lyrics in English. The reason, said some musicians who performed here, isn’t merely to find an audience in the U.S., the No. 1 market for recorded music. Their fans want the music delivered with authenticity, and English is rock’s lingua franca.

If there was something vaguely off-putting about the idea of musicians from Israel, Korea, the Netherlands or Sweden submitting to a one-world standard for rock-and-pop success, all traces of distaste vanished when the bands began to play. From an entirely American perspective, the performances in English were far less troubling than the commitment to a model that’s about 30 years old.

“It’s the ’80s over and over and over here,” said Naama Bengtsson, singer for Takeoffs & Landings, during a pre-festival conversation by phone from the band’s base in Lima, Peru. When drummer Alexandro Baviera of Alphabetics compared by phone his high-energy rock quartet from San José, Costa Rica, with Bloc Party, Foals and Does It Offend You, Yeah?—three 21st-century bands from Britain—he was saying, however inadvertently, that many contemporary groups in the U.S. and U.K. are also tweaking the same retro sound.

Globalization in popular music, with the Web as the great equalizer, may encourage homogeneity, but rock’s hegemony only goes so far. There’s little reason to fear that ethnic folk musicians will abandon tradition en masse to take on the sound of the Gang of Four, New Order or Talking Heads. Record labels like Real World, Six Degrees, World Circuit and others promote regional artists who explore cross-cultural fusion.

But while fans with ambitious tastes in popular music may dream of an infinite number of cross-cultural experiments and the emergence of new forms, musicians are wise to be pragmatic. Given declining album sales and insultingly poor compensation from streaming services, to go global is the smart move.

For many musicians here, the subject of artistic identity isn’t limited to what is inscribed on a passport. The Lima-based Ms. Bengtsson was raised in Israel, and one of her band mates is Canadian. Mr. Baviera came to San José from Miami; he said he’s part Mexican and part Filipino. Korea’s Bobby Choy, an appealing folk singer who performs as Big Phony, was born in New York. He said that when he relocated to Seoul, the indie musicians in the Hongdae area knew well the music of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith, his major influences. Autostrad, a tight sextet from Jordan, performs a joyous blend of Jamaican reggae, Latin music and funk. It was among the few acts here that sang in their native language, but its members’ command of English enabled them to scold a heckler who had spilled beer on their gear, which included a Norwegian keyboard, American guitars and Japanese pedals.

Despite the overly familiar sounds and the lack of musical nationalism, Culture Collide impressed with a well-curated roster. Sweden’s three-piece We Met Tomorrow played folk with disarming self-confidence. Under its roar, Go Back to the Zoo, from the Netherlands, revealed a well-honed instinct for pop hooks, while Korea’s Love X Stereo issued winning, spiky dance-pop—both groups are among the Culture Collide performers who have moved on to New York for this week’s CMJ Music Marathon. Alphabetics was a hoot, with punk and surf guitar in its ’80s mix. As if to symbolize the festival’s underlying message, the members of Skyroads, an electronic pop quintet from Israel, danced with glee at the Costa Rican band’s delightful performance.

Mr. Fusilli is the Journal’s rock and pop music critic. Email him at jfusilli@wsj.com and follow him on Twitter @wsjrock - The Wall Street Journal

Peru has a lot of representatives on the schedule for this year’s edition of CULTURE COLLiDE festival in Los Angeles.

Kinder, MOBIVSTRIP, Wolves as Friends and finally, Cristina Valentina will all be performing at the CULTURE COLLiDE music festival in Los Angeles next month.

The four Peruvian groups will be at the festival taking place at Echo Park, Los Angeles from Oct. 8-10 in what will be a an extraordinary collection of international bands.

CULTURE COLLiDE was established last year and includes an editorial platform, travel magazine, international festival and creative agency. Founded by Alan Miller, the co-founder of FILTER magazine, the organization has compiled the best of music, food, travel, and more all in one.

This will be the second time at the festival for MOBIVSTRIP, a punk rock band with entertaining and controversial lyrics. Cristina Valentina will bring a different flavor with her soft and jazzy voice as demonstrated in her debut album entitled, All I Know (2014).

On the other hand, Wolves as Friends will play their best indie, folk, and pop beats, while Kinder won’t fail to give their fans thunderous post rock and math rock performances. - Peru this Week

There are few things that I love on this earth more than a band with a badass female lead. I mean the kind of chick that you instantly form a girl crush on and are actually kind of afraid of at the same time. MOBIVSTRIP has exactly that. Naama (vocals) and her boys (Dennis – guitar, Segio – guitar, Christian – bass, Chris – drums) come together to create the kind of alt rock/garage punk band that you’d stumble upon in a grungy, smoke-filled bar. It’s pretty easy to imagine Naama, with her messy blonde hair and fierce black eyeliner, absolutely rocking out on stage.

The Peru formed band has a sound that many will likely compare to the likes of Paramore or Garbage. Maybe even The Donnas, but with less of a “get up and dance” attitude. Their Single Whisper combines electronic sounds with the more traditional riffs that alternative rock is known for, to create four minutes and thirty-one seconds of toe-tapping pleasure.

Although most of the song has a pretty upbeat, rock tempo, my favourite part is when you can really identify where the title Whisper may have come from. At about 3:30, Naama’s voice begins to sound haunting and almost intoxicated. It’s actually kind of creepy, but also awesome. There’s something to be said about a song that can have you air-drumming and toe-tapping along with it in the first verse, but creep you out in the next.

The lyrics paint a picture of someone who’s tortured between deciding between the good and bad, right and wrong of life. Just about everyone on this planet can relate to that feeling, whether it’s in regards to a rollercoaster of a relationship, an addiction or some other internal conflict. The refreshing part, though, is that instead of another slow, whiney ballad, MOBIVSTRIP gives us a tune that we can listen to while stomping around our bedrooms in frustration.

MOBIVSTRIP may have a strange, confusing name, but their first single Whisper is exactly what we want in an alt-rock/punk theme song. - Creative Control

As the latest incarnation of the Lima-based alt-rock five-piece Take Offs & Landings, MOBIVSTRIP will once again set the Culture Collide stage aflame after delivering a riotously entertaining debut last year. Known for slinging confrontational, all-encompassing alt-punk riffs and playful vocal harmonies, this Peruvian ensemble is surely about to take flight. Release of their much-anticipated debut EP, Feed the Fire is expected later this year. Be sure to check out MOBIVSTRIP at this year’s Culture Collide LA - Culture Collide

MOBIVSTRIP is the latest musical project devised by Dennis (guitar), Christopher (drums), Naama (vocals), Sergio (guitar) and Christian (bass). Formed in in early 2014 in Lima, Peru, this upcoming band brings together a range of distinct outlooks, molded by the diverse nationalities of its respective members, and unique musical personalities. The result is a perfect musical marriage.

MOBIVSTRIP has played a variety of gigs in their hometown as well as overseas. In their first performance as a band, they shared the stage with Chilean bands Lucybell and We Are The Grand. In October 2014, they played in the festival Culture Collide 2014 in Los Angeles and San Francisco alongside Cloud Nothings, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Nina Persson, among others.

Just recently, in May this year, MOBIVSTRIP recorded their first EP, Feed The Fire, in Los Angeles’ Wax studio, with music producer Wally Gagel. Gagel has produced artists such as Family of the Year, Blondfire, Best Coast, and Zella Day.

The single of their first EP, Whisper, was released July 18th 2015. - Jammerzine

Formed in late 2013 in Lima, Peru, Takeoffs & Landings brings together a range of distinct outlooks, molded by the diverse nationalities of its respective members, and unique musical personalities. The result is a perfect musical marriage. An airy and bewitching voice blends seamlessly with an array of textures and tones – ranging from alternative electronic moods to explosive and gripping indie riffs – to create a chemistry of sounds that is at once compelling, intense and raw. - antiTastemaker

Antes del concierto, Mobivstrip inicia el movimiento con un sonido que se acerca al rock alternativo y un estilo más bien sensual. La performance de Naama, vocalista, nos lleva a lo que más adelante será un despliegue de energía rítmica en el escenario. - El Comercio

In our new column, Culture Collide International Artist Spotlights, we highlight one act in our festival lineup.

This time we head to South America to introduce the only Peruvian act in Culture Collide SF and LA: Takeoffs & Landings from Lima, Peru. The band of five — Dennis (guitar), Sergio (guitar), Christopher (drums), Naama (vocals), and Christian (bass) — was formed in late 2013 and serves up a healthy dose of rock, fronted by Naama's melodic vocals that are full of vibrant energy. The band is working on recording their first album which is due later this year. At Culture Collide, you'll be one of the very first to hear their new music.

Until then, listen to the track "Whisper" and then discover the true gems of Lima, courtesy of Takeoffs & Landings. - Culture Collide

Every year, Culture Collide ends the three-day fest with a block party outside complete with a large Ernie Ball stage out in the parking lot. This year, bands from eight countries would play on that stage including Takeoffs and Landings, the five-piece band from Peru.

They just formed late last year and have yet to release an album so Culture Collide attendees are fortunate that they will the very first to see this group play live. Their sound? More like alternative rock with a dash of shoegaze as evidenced by their wall of sound with mysterious synths ever present in the background. Takeoffs and Landings, consisting of Dennis (guitar), Sergio (guitar), Christopher (drums), Naama (vocals), and Christian (bass), were one of the few bands I actually saw twice during Culture Collide. They were that good. Currently, they're recording their first album which is set to drop later this year. - Picksysticks

Takeoffs & Landings, otherwise known as T&L, is a new rock band from Lima, Peru. If you haven’t heard them, we think you should check ‘em out.

We can’t stop listening to the band’s EP, in particular their tune “Whisper.” If we weren’t covering an assignment right now, we’d jump in the car and speed down the highway to this song… on continuous repeat.

This is a quartet in control, composing percussive indie beats and letting their female lead, Naama Bengtsson, purr and pounce.

We can’t wait for T&L’s full-length and hope a NewsWhistler will be able to catch them at the Culture Collide festival in Los Angeles in October.

In the meantime, the band has been kind enough to answer a few of our questions.

If you’re ready to learn more about a rising band and the Lima music scene, please stow your tray table and put your seat in an upright position. You’re about to take flight with Peru’s Takeoffs & Landings. - Newswhistle

Good band, they got it done. On lead vocals is Naama, her voice has a unique sound, one you don’t hear often these days in the music age of Electronic and Dance Pop. Truth, I love this girl’s voice – it’s a slightly raspy, feminine Rock voice that meets some good Indie and unique enchanting sounds. Naama’s is not a true muscular voice, but it has a cool texture, a little bit of Pop meets Rock with a unique ingénue sound. I liked it, kind of wanted to see Joan Jett after hearing this band, too. Naama also has showmanship, an intriguing attraction to her movement with her sound. Take Offs and Landings is from Lima, Peru and the other members of the band are Dennis, Christian, Chris, Sergio. Take Offs and Landings was formed recently, in 2013, and is already playing festivals like Culture Collide. Their music is a blend of sinister girl rock and tones that make it seem like they know something you don’t and you are intrigued enough to follow wherever they are leading, which I I think is one reason the lead vocal’s voice struck me, it all went together – their enchanting sound and lead vocals that compliments the magic. Their first album is due to drop at the end of the year. - musicofmymind14

Straight up indie rock made a strong showing at the 321 Lounge at Taix, emerging from places as unlikely as Peru. Led by one-woman ambassador of cool, Takeoffs and Landings injected fresh raw energy into that radiated throughout the festival. - Radio Free Silver Lake

Una sugerente portada y cinco canciones acertadas, tanto en su concepción como en su ejecución instrumental. Esa es la fórmula perfecta para que una primera incursión discográfica genere trascendencia. Y así lo hace el EP debut de la banda nacional Mobivstrip.

La agrupación —compuesta por Christopher Farfán, Dennis Garcia, Naama Bengtsson, Sergio Gonzales-Otoya y Christian Rebagliati— incursiona en la escena local con una producción rotunda; colmada de melodías, riffs y ritmos que son interpretados con precisión quirúrgica.

Un bajo y una guitarra —plenamente distorsionados— nos introducen al track inicial “F* U”, en el cual los instrumentos parecen abrirle camino a la enérgica voz de Bengtsson. Bajo una similar concepción se muestra “Confession”, potente tema de estirpe noventera y de evidente orientación hacia el rock alternativo.

“Whisper” es una necesaria pausa al álbum y un primer desembarco hacia sonoridades más sintetizadas. Aquí es certera la intención del grupo por explorar nuevas texturas; un planteamiento que encumbra el tema.

Con una atmósfera sonora muy sutil se revela “Drive”, quizás la canción más lograda del disco por su simpleza inicial y por una súbita explosión sonora —cortesía de las guitarras— hacia el final. Una vez más, las líneas vocales de Bengtsson son el distintivo. Cierra el álbum “Feed the fire”, que ostenta una clarísima y plausible aproximación al electro.

Mobivstrip no es una banda cualquiera. Es la combinación de una depurada producción, de la experiencia interpretativa (ahí están Farfán y García —ex Stereonoiz— para corroborarlo) y de una sincera apuesta por el buen sonido. Porque este primer EP refleja que cuando se tienen las cosas claras, nada falta ni nada sobra. Algo que propone este disco y que solo se puede aplaudir. - El Comercio