Want a pick me up antes del fin de semana?  Nuestros amigos at Nacional Records are offering up some weekend goodies to pump up your party!

Check it out: for a limited time, you can download the Nacional Records Sampler 2009 | The New Sounds Of Latin Music for free.  The sampler features canciones by some nuestros artistas favoritos, like our current Descubre & Download artists Bomba Estereo, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Manu Chao, y Hello Seahorse!  Cool, we love getting free new music!

Photo via Amazon

Llama los bomberos, porque Bomba Estéreo is on FIRE!  El grupo colombiano is making waves en la música urbana con un nuevo sonido, mixing the traditional regional sounds of champeta y cumbia with reggae, hip-hop and electronica.

Don't be fooled by singer Li Saumet's cute as a button exterior, porque esta cantante packs quite a lyrical punch alongside the intricate beats of bandmate Simón Mejía.  El grupo is already picking up steam in their native Colombia, and have performed with urban fusion heavy-hitters, Calle 13, in addition to landing a prime spot at this year's LAMC showcase.  Want to see what the hype is all about?  Download su más reciente canción, "Fuego," on the MTV Tr3s Descubre & Download page ahora. It's free and it's just as explosive as you'd expect from the title.

Quieres más música latina gratis? Don't forget to download more free tracks from Monte Negro, Federico Aubele, Aterciopelados y Los Amigos Invisibles and tell us what you think!

Photo via Nacional Records

What's better than blasting reggaeton for the entire neighborhood to hear?

Throwing on champeta, a genre African slaves gave birth to in the coast of Colombia. The ritmo de la calle came around way before reggaetoneros deemed themselves musical royalty, and Bomba Estéreo is making sure the rich rhythm stays alive. The electro vacilón crew melts champeta, cumbia, ska, and hip-hop all into the explosive compilation  “Bomba Estéreo Estalla: Volume 2.″ We got a chance to talk to lead singer Li Saumet and bassist Simon Mejía exclusively at the 2009 LAMC about why they call their music melodramatic pop and their message to fans after the jump!

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Ay, mic check! The Bowery Ballroom was packed with a long list of talented músicos last night...

At first glance you may experience a SXSW deja-vu, but we are here to confirm that Bomba Estéreo's electric sonidos were all too real. The "Fuego" singers lit up la noche with their reggae-infused tunes that had the crowd swayin' and sweatin'. Luckily the Colombian group weren't the only ones causing a dance explosion. While Mexican rapera Niña Dioz graced the stage with her put-your-hands-up-in-the-air vibe, Argentine cantante Federico Aubele provided a smooth heart-twisting rendition of "Este Amor."

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Mexico’s talented (and dulce) vocalist Natalia Lafourcade roared with new canciones from her latest album "Hu Hu Hu," but it was the electro professionals RH+ that offered a dreamy set that had us driftin' far, far, away...

Espera! The 2009 LAMC isn't over just yet. Visit LAMC's homepage for more conciertos and news, and keep it locked for more exclusives to come!

Photos via Fernando Leon

If you play with fire you will get burnt...

Bomba Estéreo knows the metaphorical phrase quite well. The Colombian trio is responsible for sparking an electro vacilón that rising from the ashes of la costa and blends reggae, pop, and cumbia into a psychedelic reincarnation. Whether you are thirstin' for a painful rebirth or a smooth escape, listen to their latest track "Fuego" and you will be pleasantly lifted into an alternate state-of-mind. Don't trip. The eclectic group also sings about social and political issues that tend to skip the nightly news headlines.

We got a chance to chat with lead singer Li Saumet and bassist Simon Mejía after their performance at SXSW to find out more about their musical style and what they have in the works right below the hood!

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