Bomba Estéreo

You might not have heard of the Colombia-based Bomba Estéreo, but chances are you’ve heard of a few of its collaborators, who in recent years have included DJ Rupture, Ben Frost and Brian Eno. The group’s new album, the Ponte Bomb EP, is essentially Colombia’s answer to the freaked-out electro that has seen a resurgence in America in recent years, but it combines aspects of champeta and Afrobeat to create a sound that feels like it’s consistently teetering on an explosive edge. Like the best dance music, it gets to that explosion eventually, and the songs undress to showcase some of the finest instrumental work you’ll hear this year. That’s partly due to singer Liliana Saumet’s incredibly visual songwriting, which somehow manages to convey a clear image even if you don’t speak the language. Bomba Estéreo toes the lines between the political and the fun-loving with a finesse that’s difficult not to appreciate.