Bomba Estereo

Effervescent, energetic and explosively hip, Bomba Estereo is a party waiting to happen -- and one usually does at this Colombian outfit's vibrant shows, which combine live instruments and vocals with sampling, and typically involve live projections from Colombian video artists. Simon Mejia (programmer/bassist/lead looper) and Liliana Saumet (vocalist) formed the group in their hometown of Bogota in 2005 and went on to add percussionist Diego Cadavid, drummer Kiki Egurrola and guitarist Julian Salazar to the mix. That mix, by the way, blends dub, hip-hop and electronic dance music with Afro-Caribbean rhythms and Colombian folk and pop styles like cumbia, champeta and bullerengue. The group's exciting eclecticism and infectious party vibe earned it gigs opening for the likes of Calle 13 and Pacha Massive and a critically acclaimed spot at SXSW. Nacional Records released their Columbian debut Vol. 1 in 2006, followed by their international second album, which was released in Latin America as Estalla in 2008 and in North America as Blow Up in 2009.