Bomba Estéreo

Prior to forming Bomba Estéreo, Bogotá-born Simón Mejía had been in the ’90’s Colombian alternative rock band the Charconautas, and the loose collective of musicians and visual artists known as A.M. 770. The latter, inspired by the likes of Sidestepper and Bloque de Busqueda, mixed traditional Colombian salsa and cumbia rhythms with contemporary electronic and dance beats.

Before long A.M. 770 essentially became a solo project, and Mejía changed the name from to Bomba Estéreo, which is a Colombian term which means an awesome party. Under the new moniker the mini-album “Vol. 1” was released in 2006 and featured the vocal and rapping talents of Liliana “Li” Sauemt, who met Mejía at a music concert.

Bomba Estéreo’s subsequent release “Estella” arrived in 2008 and had established the project as a band comprised of Mejía, Saumet, percussionist Cadavid, guitarist Julián Salazar and drummer Enrique “Kike” Egurrola. After the release the band performed at the 2009 South by Southwest and Rockslide festivals and a year later embarked on a world tour of over 32 cities. Also in 2010 “Estella” earned a U.S. release under the name “Blow Up”, which led to the band being voted the Best New Band in the World by MTV Iggy, MTV’s alternative world music outlet.

In 2010 the band recorded a cover of Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” for Levi’s Pioneer Sessions, which later found its way on to the EP “Ponte Bomb” along with remixes of earlier singles “Fuego” and La Boquilla”. Following appearances at Coachella Festival and Austin City Limits, as well as Lollapalooza Chile and Vive Latino, Bomba Estéreo released their third studio album “Elegancia Tropical”. Issued in 2012 on Polen Records in Colombia and Soundway Records elsewhere, the album spawned the singles “El Alma y el Cuerpo” and “Pure Love”.