A bilingual record of immigrant life is the centerpiece of a summer tour for Peru-born, Miami-based psych-rockers MOLD! The brand new album, III, that Carlo Barbacci and his rotating collective are taking on the road is a reflection in both English and Spanish on nostalgia, dreams, morals, and the duality of an expat’s journey. Instrumentally, III is a high-energy, futuristic clamor inspired by the likes of Kraftwerk, Animal Collective, Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized — “bands that create their own world,” as Barbacci tells PureHoney.

The current lineup bringing this album to Gramps in Miami and to stages across the Southeast, with forays into the Midwest, is Barbacci joined by three mates who hold down roles in other Miami bands: Peter Allen, Francisco Lujan and Joshua Soria, from Palomino Blond, Pavlov’s Bell and The Creature Cage, respectively.

“I keep the thing going with whoever is down to rock with me basically,” Barbacci says. That evolving character has made each new MOLD! release sound distinctly fresh. 2021’s No Silence! would slot comfortably into a playlist featuring Lush and Puzzle, with intervals of Siouxsie Sioux. The self-titled 2023 followup evokes Bauhaus, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Autolux, balancing erratic sounds with catchy melodies.

A standalone single released in June, “AMARILLO, features MOLD! alongside Madrid-based, Peruvian-Palestinian musician Nico Saba. Their collaboration seems to imagine David Byrne writing reggaeton while Ian Curtis’ ghost uses Barbacci as his spirit vessel.

The new MOLD! album is awash in snare fills and auditory asides that could be vacuum cleaners or UFO landings. It bristles with eye-catching song titles like “Shinji Ikari!,” “Struggle with Nihilism!,” and “Al Tacho!” And it will resonate with anyone who wishes the Minecraft soundtrack had been Midwestern emo played at a faster clip.

The album’s standout finale, “Correct Me!,” features two drum tracks — one played by Barbacci — rippling through a Yo La Tengo-esque cloud of noise. The eerie, collage-like album art comes from Barbacci’s childhood friend Ian Duclos, another in a long line of Peruvian talent showcased in MOLD!’s visual portfolio.

MOLD! play a record release party for III with Ben Katzman, Palomino Blond, and Dime, 7pm Saturday, August 30 at Gramps in Miami. mooold.bandcamp.com ~ Erik Kvarnberg