BLOW UP BLOG

I love this new album. I've be playing this quite a bit and I'm going to play it to death, its absolutely brilliant. …Its official. The bongolian. My new favourite band. You heard it here first Craig Charles Funk Soul Show

AVAILABLE NOW from BLOW UP on CD:   & VINYL: 

& all good stores including: Cargo Collective store around the UK / JBs / Dusty Groove (USA) / Norman / Phonica / Piccadilly / Rough Trade / Sister Ray / Sounds Of The Universe / amazon.co.uk / hmv & more…

BUY/DOWNLOAD all 4 Bongolian albums from:    

The Bongolian 'Bongos For Beatniks'

The sleeve for the Bongolian's 4th album is finally revealed! 'Bongos For Beatniks' will be released on Monday 9th May, but if you can't wait that long you can download the first single 'The Riviera Affair' which was recently featured on Nemone's Lunchtime Loves on BBC 6music (she also interviewed Nasser before his BlowUp/HMV show in February), alongside support plays by Gideon Coe and Craig Charles. The track is also Sky Sports Soccer AM's track of the week.

The album is also featured in Scootering Magazine's 'Recommended Listening' this month alongside an early review of the album, an interview with The Bongolian and a live review of February's Blow Up/HMV show.

Stay tuned as from next week the album will be available to pre-order, with some limited edition bundles.

DOWNLOAD THE RIVIERA AFFAIR:   CONNECT:

We're pleased to announce that Blow Up will be hosting a night at Upstairs @ The Garage as part of the second year of HMV's Next Big Thing festival. Spread over 6 London venues (plus one in Birmingham and Edinburgh) and running between 4th - 13th February 2011, the festival's aim is to showcase and celebrate the very best new and emerging talent drawn from all genres of music tipped to breakthrough in 2011.  The Blow Up night is the first date of the festival on Friday 4th February, and Blow Up Records' artists Baltic Fleet, Silvery and The Bongolian will be playing live, following by the Blow Up club at 11pm until 3am with DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson bringing you the classic Blow Up mix of Orgasmic Pop, Psych, 60s Mod Soul and New Wave Glam action. Expect to hear a  selection ranging from The Beatles to Bowie to Blur mixed with 60s moves and grooves (Soul, Boogaloo, Garage, Ska, Beat and Swinging Soundtracks). Entry to all events for the festival will be for the bargain price of a flat £10 (incl. b/f), whoever the artist and whichever the venue. Tix here

14/1/2011 UPDATE - BIG BOSS MAN ADDED TO THE BILL - playing a late night show as part of the Blow Up clubnight that follows.

Baltic FleetPhoto: Adam Banister

BALTIC FLEET is the work of Warrington based artist Paul Fleming. Influenced by artists such as Eno, The Doves, NEU!, Sigur Ros and DJ Shadow, his 2008 eponymous debut (written and recorded whilst on a World Tour playing keyboards for Echo & the Bunnymen), was picked by Rough Trade Shop for their monthly Record Club, and went on to be placed in their Top 50 Albums of 2008 (and also in Piccadilly Records' Albums of 2008). His first show since 2008, Paul will showcasing material from his second album, due for release mid-2011. "BUNNYMAN HAS FUN ON THE AUTOBAHN - Sombre, Sigur Ros-like post-rock, fuzzy bass grooves [and] energising NEU!-style motorik" UNCUT "A faultless piece of instumental music that captures the spirit of Eno, NEU! all the way through to modern post rock and chamber music" ROUGH TRADE "A thirteen-track industrial drive along roads of ambient melodies . Skin pricklingly authentic" CLASH

The Bongolian live at Blow Up, December 2010

Following his show in France, The Bongolian (aka Big Boss Man's Nasser Bouzida) and his band drop into London for a rare Christmas show at Blow Up. They will be previewing tracks from his forthcoming 4th album (early 2011) alongside tracks from 2008′s critically acclaimed 'Outer Bongolia' and early classics such as Bongohead. Funk and Spaced-out Latin Soul - 100% Heavy Bongo Vibes guaranteed! Followed by resident Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson bringing you a mix of Orgasmic Pop 60s Mod Soul New Wave action.

Since his 2001 eponymous debut, THE BONGOLIAN's albums have become recordbox essentials for DJs, finding a wide appeal from Dance and Hip-Hop to rare groove and funky 45s fans, and to date The Bongolian and his band have toured USA, UK and Europe:

Nasser Bouzida is a man with talent to spare. A Latin-flavoured jazz-funk odyssey Q

Totally mind-blowing WHAT'S ON

Mightily funky, Hammond driven bongo rhythms… part mod, part Sergio Mendes TIME OUT

Event Links: Facebook Event / THE BONGOLIAN:

Big Boss Man live at Blow Up, 29th May 2010

Just confirmed at Blow Up are Blow Up Records' very own Big Boss Man - on stage 10.30pm (doors 10pm). The band are fresh back from their 2010 tour of Spain , and along side favourites such as 'Sea Groove' and 'Party 7′, Big Boss Man will be playing tracks from their 3rd album 'Full English Beat Breakfast'. Followed by resident Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson more…

Big Boss Man return once again to Spain with an 11 date tour this March including Madrid, Barcelon, Alicante, Leon and more. See all dates here to see if they're coming to a town near you. They'll also be paying a visit to France in April (St. Nazaire) and June at the annual 'Riviera Affair '60s Mod Weekend' in Nice.

They'll be performing tracks from their first 2 albums Humanize and Winner, and from their critically acclaimed new album Full English Beat Breakfast!

Big Boss Man have been invited to record a live session for Mark Lamarr at the BBC's famous Maida Vale studios, including tracks from Full English Beat Breakfast - hear the session this Saturday 18th September on BBC Radio 2 at Midnight.