Balún - "La Nueva Ciudad"

Balún is a band from Puerto Rico with an acute sense of creating ethereal moments of the sad kind. Could the tropigoth tagline apply? As sunset approaches on the Summer of Love 2016 (a cosmic event that last took place during the tumultuous social uprisings of 1967) the Brooklyn-based via Borinken four-piece return by making ripples across waters with a trademark sound they call dreambow. Incorporeal dream-pop, techno, shoegaze, folkloric sounds of South America, & dembow (one of reggaetón’s rhythmic daughters) are the amalgamation of the band’s idiosyncratic soundscape. A formula that after almost 7 years since Balún’s first contribution to Club Fonograma has stood the test of time.

With Afro Caribbean sounds like tipple, bomba barrel drum, dembow & a hazy, humid sense of a transcendent melancholy at work, “La Nueva Ciudad” joins the cannon of unorthodox, reggaetón-based classics of late. The sonic transmutations of established greats like J Balvin, Arca, Gepe, Javiera Mena & newcomers like MULA, Coral Casino, & Tomasa del Real have been expanding our understanding of the infinitely mesmerizing possibilities of the genre. Even Ibiza Pareo expressed interest in flirting with reggaetón during their Ruido Fest showcase in Chicago this summer. Clearly, our collective sonic future still belongs to the iconic, Afro-Caribbean sound. 

Balún’s return feels accomplished, academic and ancestral. The chorus of “La Nueva Ciudad” invokes collective rapture (the spiritual power of reggaetón at work here) while Angélica Negron's vocals communicate intimacy & distance, discussing the circular nature of time, planets, & the need to create a city without mirrors. The prolific percussionist/producer Lawson White (Shakira, Wilco, Jamie xx) has been working behind the scenes with Balún, whose current lineup boasts PhD ethnomusicologist and Puerto Rican folk music expert Noraliz Ruiz (playing cuatro and on “La Nueva Ciudad”), Raul Reymundi, along with veteran players Angélica Negron & José Olivares. It would seem as though Balún have become curators of globopop. “La Nueva Ciudad” is the lead single from the forthcoming Prisma Tropical LP which is due in 2017. Listen to it below and its b-side, “Esta En Tus Manos,” a cover of the pioneer of indietronica reggaetón herself, Javiera Mena.

Ivy Queen - "Que Se Jodan"

A photo posted by @ivyqueendiva on Apr 1, 2016 at 5:43pm PDT

Ivy Queen's 2016 return is buzz worthy by its own merit, but these are no ordinary times for Ivy Queen to release a single. Javiera Mena's revelation to Club Fonograma last week that she is determined to work with Ivy Queen has our musical mythologies reeling. The prospect of such a collaboration is the stuff pop dreams are made of. As legend would have it, Shakira released three merengue singles from 2010's Sale El Sol as per Club Fonograma's suggestion. Evidently, Rita Indiana's excellent El Juidero made it to the ears of Shakira's production team, thereby inspiring the Caribbean sounds found in her last decent album. Or so the legend goes. Since 2009, Club Fonograma has been a haven for the analysis of provocative sounds from both the underground and the mainstream. It is our belief that a Javiera Mena / Ivy Queen collaboration could pave a road towards a certain type of immortality for both artists. On one hand, Javiera Mena could gain the notoriety and respect of going to the source- the Queen herself- for the reggaetón backdrops she employs on everything from "Cuando Hablamos" to a few tracks from Otra Era. On the other, Ivy Queen could steer her industry towards a different plateau by incorporating emerging left field talent from Latin America into her repertoire. Javiera Mena could be Ivy Queen's first of many fortuitous collaborations with a hipster underground. I mean, "Que Se Jodan" already sounds like Ivy and her producers have been listening to Puerto Rico heavyweight, Füete Billete.

"Que Se Jodan" is hip-hop, showcasing the strong rap element Ivy Queen honed in on for 2014's ambitious Vendetta, a multi-part album that dedicated itself to substantiating four different genres of music: reggaetón, bachata, salsa, and hip-hop. Ivy Queen does a lot of posturing during "Que Se Jodan," a nefarious if short lived number. Ivy Queen flaunts her two decades-long artistic career, her rap skills ("¿Qué sabes tú de letra?), and proclaims her love for hip-hop ("esa es mi medicina"). Ivy Queen is a good enough rapper, but it should be noted that some of the braggadocio on "Que Se Jodan" is not befitting a 20 year veteran. Still, her claim that she reminds womn to fill themselves up with greatness is pretty powerful. Consider "Que Se Jodan" a reintroduction to Ivy Queen, a good enough track that has us hoping she can channel the brilliance of 2003's "Yo Quiero Bailar" at least one more time.

Arcángel - Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad

Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad, Arcángel
Pina Records, Puerto Rico
Rating: 85 
by Carlos Reyes

As cleverly stated by reggaeton scholar Raquel Z. Rivera, “folks have been pronouncing reggaeton dead since before it was even called reggaeton.” I don’t know about you guys, but there’s not a day where I don’t encounter the beat, even in the most unexpected places. It’s far from dead, but the slightest immersion makes it hard to be optimistic about the genre’s possible pedigree, at least from an artistic viewpoint. Names like Daddy Yankee and Plan B have offered the genre enough powerful singles to maintain a degree of creative momentum, but the genre is undergoing a major depression when it comes to pouring self-sustaining full-length albums. As we’ve been predicting throughout the years, Arcángel (Austin Santos) is the one name capable of amending the future of reggaeton.

Arcángel is very well aware of where he’s standing. Arrogance and self-absorption often get the best of him (he self-proclaimed God way before Yeezus did), but I guess stubbornness is something you can afford after crafting the best reggaeton album of all time. La Maravilla (which remains commercially unreleased as a whole) was a one-of-a-kind event unlikely to be matched any time soon. His follow up (considered by the industry as his official debut), El Fenomeno, introduced him to the transnational leagues that unfortunately brought artistic confinement to his rising career. El Fenomeno was a tacky move from his label to recondition La Maravilla (at the hands of producers Luny Tunes) for mass consumption. And yet, the album was considered a commercial flop that made many wonder if Arcángel really was the individual dictating the genre.

Five years have passed and we find Arcángel more popular and consistent than probably any other name in Latin urban music. Well, that’s not necessarily true, but let me make my case. Calle 13’s political activism has nations sending delegates to the duo’s press conferences, and that’s something no one should overlook. But, while Calle 13 used the reggaeton beat as a platform (with glorious artistic and commercial results), they’ve now made every effort at their hands to disassociate from it by turning up the alternative, and subverting the urban. Arcángel on the other hand, remains loyal and affectionate to the genre. While Rene and Eduardo have turned their music into a social mission, Arcángel has kept his focus on transcending reggaeton beyond the beat. He refuses to reduce reggaeton to that essential beat, but rather presents it as set of conceptions (hooks, flow, tiraera, melodic bridges, etc.) that are tailored with a sensibility that is particular to reggaeton. In other words, what he’s bringing to the table is an assessment of the genre as something worthy of its own idiosyncratic narrative.

Three paragraphs in, and I have yet to bring up the reason behind the excitement. Arcángel just released the best reggaeton album since, well… La Maravilla. It’s nowhere near flawless, but it had been a while since an album of the eternally-controversial genre felt this complete. At 18 tracks long, Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad is not an easy album to dissect despite the fact that it holds some of the catchiest, funniest, and most hybridized songs released this year. I have single-handedly reviewed every release by Arcángel. It’s not that my fellow Fonograma writers neglect him (we placed “Chica Virtual” in the top 15 songs of the past decade), but I’ve used my editorial perks to become a sort of specialist/scholar on his profile. SE&M’s first single, “Hace Mucho Tiempo,” is better than 95% of the hits on FM airwaves, but in no way did it convey how good SE&M ended up being.

Immersing into SE&M is uncomfortable at first. In its mere aesthetic presentation, the album is problematic and off-putting. The album cover shows a topless model on top of the artist. She’s been branded with Arcángel's logo on her back. It’s a bit frustrating to see someone who is a bit of a genius not realize he’s taking part of what has wounded the reggaeton pedigree above anything else: its artistic prostitution. The cover isn’t as evil as R.Kelly’s latest one, but it sure is disappointing considering how progressive and androgynous most of the songs on the album are. Arcángel is more incongruent than a misogynist in that regard, but I’m sure deducting him points for not being able to filter the degrading parts of the genre he’s claiming to reform.

“Aún recuerdo mis tiempos de bandolero / cambie el flow / y sigo estando entre los primeros,” brags Arcángel in the M.I.A.-esque “Por la plata baila el mono,” just before humbly reminding us he is the King Kong of reggaeton. SE&M is not set up to revolutionize the genre in the way his debut endeavored. Arcángel instead, puts on a historian outfit and makes an index of sorts of when the genre started (the hypersexualized and bared-to-essentials “Que Le Den”), its absorption by the mainstream (“Sola” featuring ex-partner De La Ghetto), the moment it became a monopolized mafia (“Pacas de 100,” featuring Daddy Yankee), and its subsequent, sugar-coated dissolving with synth pop (“Tiene un piquete”). This historical reading of the album was most probably not intentional (the sequencing is nonlinear), but considering Arcángel's artistic escapades (highly celebrated by people like Tego Calderón and Rita Indiana), it’s consistent to conclude that Arcángel was conscious the genre needed this assessment more than another “Gasolina.”

But what makes SE&M so special is how Arcángel envisions the future of the genre: reggaeton transcending from a beat to an increasingly versatile genre. Perhaps it’s too much of an assumption, but it seems that Arcángel has bonded with his contemporaries. He encounters Drake in the dazzling “Me Myself & My Money,” swims around Frank Ocean in the melancholic “Cuando Tu No Estas,” gets as mucky and dope as Danny Brown in “Gucci Boys Club,” and croons over the R&B balladry of Miguel in “Lentamente.” While it seems like he’s borrowing, he approaches and executes each with the sensibility and idiosyncrasy of a reggaeton artist (while also holding up to the fact that he is also American). Arcángel proclaims leadership of a new line of artists he calls “La sangre nueva." If Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad is able to shift the gears of those subscribed to this new blood (Plan B, Ñengo Flow, among others), while also outlining the genre’s history and cultural impact for the sake of its pedigree, then we can officially consider this a triumph. And that to me is more of a revolution than trying to figure out what the hell “Multi_Viral” is really about.

Tego Calderón - "Colabore"

“Yo se que yo me tardo pero hecho caldo (y la receta siempre me tiene guisando),” sighs Tego Calderón in his thrilling new single, “Colabore.” It’s been almost six years since the rapper released El Abayarde Contraataca, and just when it seemed its follow up would turn into a mythological release, we get an official single off the long-anticipated El Que Sabe Sabe. While Calderón focused on social globalization on last year’s reggaeton-free mixtape, The Original Gallo del País (self-assesed by Tego as his most complete work yet), the single suggests his new album will bring him back to the clubs and FM airwaves. “Colabore” is another hit in Calderón’s strong line of singles. The song starts at a rapid-fire pace, coating itself with an old friend–a clean, almost nostalgic reggaeton beat that’s serviceable for both profit and pedigree. Trying to catch up with his flow is fun all in its self. El Que Sabe Sabe will see the commercial light in May.

MP3: FLYBACK - "Si No Le Contesto" (Plan B Cover)

For the last two years, Venezuelan blog NTSFRSH has been our preferred source for the new prospects of tropical music and all of its global cousins. Last year the blog extended its content-creating duties developing the exciting Cocobass Records, home of Fonograma favorites like María y José and Los Macuanos. Owner of a gifted aesthetic eye and a shameless eclecticism, Eduardo Luis Hernández, one of the franchise’s masterminds, is taking the first steps into developing his own musical act under the moniker FLYBACK (FLYB∆CK for those with enough swag).

Although it was almost completely omitted by mainstream Latin pop-rhythmic radios across the States, Plan B’s hit “Si No Le Contesto” was the absolute zeitgeist across many regions of the continent last year. The song’s official video counts over 51 million views, an insane number for a reggaeton song nowadays. Plan B is one of those urban acts worthy to watch, with hardcore fans that include Tego Calderón, Arcángel, and Dávila 666. Although Flyback admits vocals aren’t his biggest strength, he has paid tribute to the Plan B song in a rendition that highlights the original’s pop structure, adding plenty of glittering tropical depth along the way. By practicing some clever tricks and distortion, Flyback pushes the song’s pedestrianism to even further places.

♫♫♫ "Si No Le Contesto" (Plan B Cover)
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MP3: Arcángel feat. Daddy Yankee - "Panamiur" (Official Remix)

If you haven’t figured it out by now, if there’s anyone in Reggaeton we really care about is Arcángel. Many still question our fixation with the rising star, but musically, it’s pretty simple to us. Once in a while, he puts out incredible singles; the kind that makes us hopeful for the genre, and the kind that refresh Latin Pop mainstream radio. He released his flawed but transitory Optimus A.R.C.A. mixtape last November, promising to come back this year with an album superior to his excellent La Maravilla. Honestly, we’re not anticipating it as much as The Carter IV, but the fact he realizes he has not given his best work lately is a good sign.



In the meantime, he has started 2011 magnificently, giving us an optimized version of “Panamiur”, the best Reggaeton single in many months. Arcángel and Daddy Yankee are becoming regular collaborators and this remix is burning hot. Both, guys are still sexists, (“Si estas enferma, baby tengo tu cure”) and that’s still a bit irritating (but never as irritating as “Danza Kuduro”). Musically, it doesn’t step away from any of the genre’s elements, but the execution and over-the-top lyricism are enough to discard this as just a guilty pleasure.

♫♫♫ "Panamiur"

MP3: Tego Calderón - "Tu le diste al switche" (Pernett's Cumbiambero Remix)

Please, allow us to remind you that Pernett is one of today’s most intriguing and creative personas in Tropical music. The Colombian musician is way more than your average ‘Latin Fusion Exotic’ act (you know, the kind that European festivals love), this guy has a dynamic scope of making anything he touches into something truly special. This time, he surprises us with a killing ‘cumbiambero’ remix to another master with an afro, our father Tego Calderón. “Tu le diste al switche” is a rare unreleased track by Tego; actually, it’s a demo that leaked prior to The Underdog/El Subestimado and never made it into the album. The catchy song is actually a tiraera to Hector “El Father”, who is now devoted Christian rapper, “pide la bendicion que llego tu papa.” Tego has spent almost four years cooking his next album, which won’t come out until 2011. Last time we spoke to him he told us he was listening to Rita Indiana y Los Misterios, and claims to be Lido Pimienta’s adoptive father, we couldn’t be more excited.

♫♫♫ "Tu le diste al switche"

Arcángel - OPTIMUS A.R.C.A.

OPTIMUS A.R.C.A, Arcángel
Flow Factory Inc, Puerto Rico
Rating: 64
By Carlos Reyes

On his latest album intro (“Monarca de Los Mares”), Arcángel claims he reincarnated into a human ever since Greek Mythology, and was sent by Poseidon to overtake all the oceans. After such laughable premise I can’t help but admit that I’ve missed Arcangel more than I would care to admit. La Maravilla is arguably, the best Reggaeton album ever; any album by Arcángel should be considered an essential listen. Although he didn’t become a household name with El Fenomeno, he’s still considered being the next (perhaps only hopeful) star of Reggaeton. Arcángel is the kid his peers fear of; he’s outspoken, a master of tiraera & arrogant in his own charming way. Despite his controversial lifestyle (he's been called a drama queen), he’s got the big guys behind, earning the respect and endorsement of Tego Calderon, Daddy Yankee, Tempo, Don Omar and Vico C, who are literally fighting over the godfather title.

La Maravilla was one of those extraordinary events in Latin Urban music, I love telling the story, but I’m afraid all of my Arcángel reviews are exactly the same. But let’s sum it up: angry talented kid idolizes Prince as much as Michael Jackson wants to be like both of them (+ Lil’ Wayne), he is also a good singer (not only a rapper), & he’s got the lyrical skills and willpower to make a name for himself. He released a couple of awesome mixtapes, but labels felt he was more of a threat than an artist; he was in fact, misunderstood. One day he decides to upload his debut album to rapidshare, the link caught fire, to this day; it’s a fundamental record that finally earned him the attention of label executives. El Fenomeno (his first ‘mainstream’ album) could be considered a commercial flop. Austin “Arcángel” Santos is back to the viral stats and his Internet-cult fan base, surprising us with a new set of songs outside commercial purpose.

OPTIMUS A.R.C.A. is nowhere near the complexity of his jaw-dropping debut, as you can see from the album cover and the all-caps title, he goes Michael Bay on this one, not very exciting. What could’ve been a great conceptual album is actually a middling album with a couple of astonishing pieces. Arcángel has a list of concerns he likes to intellectualize. First, he always sings to himself as “El Chamaquito”, it’s as if he was going back in time to cheer himself as a kid, telling things we’ll be alright despite his current challenges. Second, he continues to make sure his woman reaches orgasm; it’s a mission of his, not doing so would be a failure of the alpha-male ‘optimus’ Greek-Robotic being he’s become. Third, consolidating his ego through “Tengo Dinero” or highlighting the fact he can actually sing in “Lo Mio Es Cantar.”

On multiple occasions, Arcángel has claimed he wants to be called a singer-songwriter, which I find hilarious, but hey, “Chica Virtual” is an epic episoide of compositional heaven. This album doesn’t show much lyrical skills, the fact he actually mentions god created his mom specifically to give birth to him shows he’s going desperate. “Mi Voz, Mi Estilo & Mi Flow” or “Panamiur” are proof of an artist who is still rocking on his own way. OPTIMUS A.R.C.A. is clearly flawed, the title itself is a bit annoying to type. But Arcángel claims this is only “the little album before the album”, so as a transitory (for fans only) release it’s worth a listen, plus, it’s free. He's still on the right path, this time he chose Mediafire over Rapidshare, big decision there.

♫♫♫ "Mi Voz, Mi Estilo & Mi Flow"

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New Single: Alexis y Fido feat. Daddy Yankee - "Rescate"

Puerto Rican duo Alexis y Fido is a house favorite; there’s simply no other duo in Reggaeton with such high-caliber beats, lyrical sovereignty, and charm. We like them so much we included three of their songs in our CF’s Best Reggaeton Songs list: “El Tiburon” (#21), “Eso Ehh!” (#16) and “5 Letras” (#4). Los Pitbulls or ‘Los Reyes del Perreo’, as they’re commonly called, go beyond the average landscape of Reggaeton. They set parameters and don’t settle for anything less than upbeat rapture.

Their new album Perreologia will be out soon and they just unveiled its first single “Rescate” featuring Daddy Yankee. The song is slower than most of their singles and it’s nowhere near the intoxicating highs of their great pieces, but it soothes the thirst of people like us, who actually enjoy the Reggaeton beat. “No es lo mismo tener un hombre en tu cama a que tu te mates solita,” oh yes, Alexis y Fido along with Yankee claim to be the saviors of a lonesome woman ‘suffering’ self-satisfaction.

Alexis y Fido, still more exciting than 90% of Latin rock bands out there.

Jowell & Randy - El Momento

El Momento, Jowell & Randy
Machete Music, Puerto Rico
Rating: 60
By Carlos Reyes

We value much of Reggaeton’s aesthetics for their campy value more than anything else. When in excess, the ‘blinblineo’ panache goes from the campy to the douchebag (I’m looking at you Wisin & Yandel), but among Reggaeton’s new voices we find interesting characters taking the aesthetics to a whole new level. Perhaps too hipsterish for the average RockEnEspañol aficionado, but if you’ve enjoyed the genre’s most authentic artists (Arcangel, Alex & Fido, Voltio) make sure to give Jowell & Randy a chance. Their music quality is itself decent, but the whole package is quite enjoyable and even reminiscent to the Mad Decent culture.

No genre builds so much drama on the introduction track than Reggaeton; the “Intro” of El Momento is not the exception. It’s a blast pushing play and hear celestial monk music adorn a reggaeton beat and hilarious lines such as “vamo’ a tirarlos para arriba y esperarlos con el P#&!* bien parao” or “tu me la mamaste y de mi flow te enamoraste.” The intro is followed by the surprisingly titled “Goodbye,” an enjoyable groove that fails in becoming great by a few inches, but mostly because its chorus reminds me of Shakira’s “Waka Waka.” Things get immediately better with the dazzling “Suave y Lento” featuring Wisin, Tico and Franco El Gorila, producers Nesty and Victor “El Nazi” Marioso do some wonderful synths here, although almost ruined by Wisin redundant promo towards the end of the track. As entertaining as most songs are here, none of them reach the catchiness of "Siente El Boom," their collaboration with Tito El Bambino.

“Chica de Novela” picks up on what many would consider to be the ideal narrative, Telenovelas. It’s a got a blowy feel to it that makes the song very likable, closer to Los Rakas but holding on its dream-girl adolescent foundation, “vivir con ella es como si hubieran camaras, luces, accion, como si el mundo nos estuviera viendo.” Even more memorable is “Mi Dama de Colombia” a fun anecdote on love at first sight. To many people’s shock, Puerto Rico’s emblematic reggae band Cultura Profetica collaborates in “Solo Por Ti,” the best track in the album and Jowell & Randy’s heart-on-their-sleeves moment. Jowell & Randy won’t change the Reggaeton for the better and are definitely not a sign of hope for the collapsing genre, what they do offer is a courteous distraction from all the crappy albums we’ve been getting lately.

Daddy Yankee - Mundial

Mundial, Daddy Yankee
Sony US Latin, Puerto Rico
Rating: 40
By Carlos Reyes

Reggaeton’s departure from its own beat is both, a sad inevitable outcome and a good intentioned resource for the better (?). Personally, I enjoy the dembow more than the current electronics or merengue-induced hybrids coming out of the genre. Not to be a purist, I realize the popular genre is at an emergency zone, desperate to evolve, but the path towards that desired land is rocky to say the least. Like it or not, Daddy Yankee is still the leading man, perhaps not “El Mejor de todos los Tiempos” as the first track from his ninth studio album Mundial suggests, but in vein and influence, Ramon “Raymond” Ayala is still on top. He grabbed four spots on our Best Reggaeton Songs list; we clearly give him enough credit and suspension of disbelief, his new album is a big disappointment, kind of frustrating considering his last album-soundtrack Talento Barrio was brainy all around.

Yankee had every intentional of making “Grito Mundial” the official anthem for FIFA’s South Africa World Cup, but that wasn’t going to happen with Shakira and K’naan sharing the same desire. While the song is cheesy and kind of ridiculous, it sounds giant, a blueprint for stadium-scale landscape. That’s the main problem in the album, most songs are preoccupied with making statements, or even worst, most of them force themselves into presenting a new genre, not realizing Urban has been blending with the dance floor for decades. Yankee always triumphs picking up his singles; “Descontrol” is once again, the proper single, but the fact that it’s so scrawny forefronts what’s to expect in an ultimately forgettable album.

Mundial’s renowned producers Eli “El Musicologo” and Menes “Los De La Nazza” are better producers than Luny Tunes, but not as fun and definitely not as graciously campy. It’s hard to read just how much of the album’s flaws belong to Yankee, his middling artistic qualities seem to be settled. I’m not sure if he is saying “lover” or “loba” on “Que Es La Que Hay”, but it might be referencing Shakira’s “Loba” and Ricky Martin on the same song. But the artist and his producers do a wonderful job in elevating up-scale songs like the very entertaining “Vida En La Noche”, which smells like a hit; “asi es que se vive en la ciudad, una selva de cemento.” One thing is for sure, I might not be able to forgive him for roaring “ferocious” to make it rhyme with “guns n roses”, the same way I don’t forgive Jason Mraz for giving us his “bestest.”

Club Fonograma's Favorite Reggaeton Songs

Featured: "No Conectado", Capullo

Capullo is a fresh exciting new act from Aguascalientes, Mexico. The first thing that popped in my mind when I heard Capullo is that their vocals sound just like jj (n° 2) and to a lesser extend Micachu (and the Shapes). They also endorse youth through blissful catchy songs with unmeasured consequence. Perhaps a bit too adolescent for many of you to swallow, but it’s a bright vision in development. Ultimately, it’s irresistible not to smile to a song like “No Conectado”, which they kindly send us for you to download and which is like the conscious generational implantation of “Amor Por Internet” by Los Socios del Ritmo.

“Ya no puedo más con esta soledad, esta soledad tan digital.” They don’t sound far away from La Factoria, but those guys wish they had so much personality and niche as Capullo does. This is after all popular music with juicy reggaeton beats and techno, here is a band with huge potential to actually sell music. They don’t mind singing about nicks and emoticons as silly as they may sound, and they even dare to style something as odd as “Merequeteke.” Can they get cooler than that? Yes, they’re WordArt lovers!

♫♫♫ "No Conectado"
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Santa Nalga, Meneo

SANTA NALGA, MENEO
DressForExcessRecords, Spain/Guatemala
Rating: 63
by Andrew Casillas

Carlos Reyes, in addition to being one hell of a site runner, is also a great salesman. When he “asked” whether I wanted to review this album from Spanish via Central American electro-rock band Meneo, all he told me was that it was called Santa Nalga, and that it was “quite good.” Well, that’s all that I needed to hear. Seriously, why didn’t anyone else come up with that album title first? I’m looking at YOU Molotov (and also Genetallica). So applause to Meneo on that front. But sadly, the title may be the best thing about this album.

Not that it’s AWFUL per se. Meneo is the latest band to attempt to bridge the gap between Nintendo-beat programming and electro party pop, and for the most part succeed in making a satisfying party record. It all sounds fine as it’s going through your speakers, which is a satisfying accomplishment no doubt, but you’ll be hard pressed to recall any of it once the record finishes. Perhaps this could be attributed to the clear rawness of the band’s aesthetic, particularly their minimalist approach to programming, but for the most part, the album lacks a visceral component—something that’ll act as a counter to the clean and crisp sounds emanating from the speakers. The band seems to be trying to make a record for sweaty dancefloors, but there’s very little to grind to.

In fact, Meneo’s better tracks seem to come when they are at their most straightforward. “Licuadora” is a slick little opener, with its recurring dog barking, modal bassline, and sinister vocals. Likewise, “Subidon” takes a turn towards standard song structure, but packs it with nuanced percussion and intriguing leftfield noises that make it great to slot between Flex and Pitbull at your next house party. Ultimately, this record establishes a band with its fair share of progress, like a more primitive Crystal Castles. But as any indie follower can tell you, there are far too many bands trying to be Crystal Castles out there. I’m sure that next time, Meneo will come with a record that’s just as good as their album title.

♫♫♫ "Bomba"
buy it @amazon
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iDon, Don Omar

iDON, DON OMAR
Machete Music, Puerto Rico **
Rating: 43
By Carlos Reyes

Considering “Virtual Diva” is the best single Don Omar has released since “Pobre Diabla” I couldn’t miss the chance to hear it once it arrived on the mail. Let’s start; the album’s title is an eyebrow raiser, there’s nothing wrong in trying to sound technologically modern and correct, put that’s pushing it too hard. But wait for the description coming out from the label’s press release, “… a half man-half machine creation, a transformation of the international superstar into a cybernetic being.” This is not even pretentious; it’s more of a concept that neglects the tons of people that have done what Don Omar thinks is inventive and a progression to his music. But is reggaeton catching up to electronic vibes? Will the reoccurring beat adapt itself to mechanism? Isn’t already a robotic sound? Daddy Yankee’s surprisingly pleasant Talento de Barrio explored this territory, after the influence of the true urban virtuosos from Puerto Rico, our favorites and still underrated Nejo y Dalmata and the now fully discovered/exploited Arcangel. The intro “The Chosen” is laughable, presents the whole futuristic scenario as a mutation, basically Don Omar babbles about his new characteristics, claiming he is a lot of thing, from a biochemist to a mathematician, and a bionic superstar “en perfeccion en practica.” The first single is his least embarrassing moment on radio in a long time; it’s not even near as functional as Yankee’s “Pose”, but at least it’s mystical enough to dance to it. There’s plenty of clash in “Blue Zone”, but he should learn that a just a few sparks won’t build an attitude, a bit of guidance from Zona Seis and their Electronic Swag would do him great. You don’t even want to listen to “Ciao Bella”, it’s a painful drown, and “Oasis” tests and fails to make its continental voyage. The album trips and although the lyrics have some moments of glory (particularly in “CO2”), iDon is not even honest to its concept. But hey, it’s an improvement over the abominable King of Kings.

TEGO CONTIGO QUIERO! "El Master del Reggaeton" - Afrodita

You have no idea how much I like Tego Calderon, my frustration of people misunderstanding his art is now gone; as expected, I think pretty much by now he’s proven to be the institution for Latin Urban and to me, if there’s a god, he would be as cool as this ugly mofo. See, I think that if he was given a fare chance within the alternative groundings, he would be as popular and iconic as Calle 13, he’s an amazing figure, worthy of among other things, headline any music festival out there. As Tego’s music continues to transcend, reggaeton in the other hand is dying (Arcangel’s first LP was not the expected jewel), would Calderon’s majestic vision save the genre? Afrodita takes a moment to declare him “El Master del Reggaeton”, it’s a spoof, it’s a smile, and it’s what you might expect from Afrodita. Remember to subscribe to our 'videos' (lol) on YouTube.

“Tego, contigo quiero!”

El Fenomeno, Arcangel

EL FENOMENO, ARCANGEL
Machete Music, Puerto Rico / Dominican Republic ***1/2
Rating: 75
By Carlos Reyes

I think we saw it coming; Arcangel was for too long succeeding with a brave stance on his urban roots, but always looking up to be a pop star, in his words, always looking up to what Prince embodies. So who is this guy and why do we talk so much about him? Simply, he is the one individual with the virtue to give some progressiveness to reggaeton, a genre we believe in despite all the hate, believe it or not, it’s in its best moment on the hands of Austin Santos. Always criticized for aspiring to be both Lil’ Wayne and Michael Jackson, this guy won the respect of his peers because of his outstanding mixtapes, quickly becoming the one to have on your record, for years expecting a first album. 2008 was supposed to be his year, but the urban genre as a business was not ready for him, his record was said to be too alternative and bipolar to be addressed properly.

Arcangel, in an unexpected move, decides to upload his album on rapidshare for free download (extremely rare with urban artists), after a couple of million downloads (yes, millions) it quickly became the big revelation of the urban circuit. He had the guts to call himself “La Maravilla”, and indeed the album is a jewel, carrying the anger and softness to mediate and reckon his faith. And the tiraera was revived, there are full mixtapes of fellow reggaetoneros and rappers confronting him, the big names were interested, his fantastic appearance in both of Daddy Yankee’s “Pasion” and “Somos de Calle Remix”, his epic flow in the majestic “Algo Musical” by Nejo y Dalmata and finally the awaited first physical release of what I hesitate to call his debut but most will do so.

El Fenomeno features some of the big producers of the genre, which is not a good thing as the album falls into the ordinary more than we had wished for, not enough to disappoint but seems like his ambition is somehow got blurry, this at its best aspires to be a good Chris Brown album. I keep using American artists as reference, which speaks volumes of how unprecedented this guy is. I can’t think of any other artist on our circuit with such power at both raping and singing, and that was perfectly showcased on La Maravilla, this new album is way too romantically lousy for its own good, but he’s even great at manipulating themes to find some balance. One minute he is talking details about how to conquer love, practice sex, destroy his enemies and thanking god for letting him do so.

Some highlights of the new album are the electrifying “Ta’ Bueno el Ambiente”, the demanding “I Got Flow”, the club banger “Nada Malo” and the intimidating/aggressive “Agresivo Part 3.” Also included are six tracks from the unreleased album, which are all great, plus one of the most embraced songs at this blog, “Chica Virtual.” I stumbled on a forum somewhere where a person reproached the album was full of “reggaepop, electronic and weird things”, reminds you of someone, cough Calle 13 cough... no way am I comparing him with the consistency of Residente & Visitante, but just like them, he has dispatched himself almost completely from the genre he was supposed progress. But hey, I don’t mind listening to these tracks on radio, it would be great to see it taking over, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see success in the proportions of a Yankee or Flex. Even if the album has producers Luny Tunes on board, this is highly pleasing album that still sustains Arcangel as Reggaeton’s current MVP.

Want to hear the best track Don Omar has ever touched? Yes, there’s a good one, grab it.
 

♫♫♫ “Nada Malo”

♫♫♫ “Chica Virtual"

♫♫♫ “Quimica Sustancia” feat. Don Omar

Buy it @ amazon.com

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Masacre Musical, De La Ghetto

MASACRE MUSICAL, DE LA GHETTO
Machete Music, Puerto Rico ***
Rating: 63
By Carlos Reyes

The urban releases are quite hard to keep on track, there are just so many of them (+ I don’t listen to FM radio), I had no clue De La Ghetto had finally released his awaited solo project. In case you don’t know him, he was part of the duo Arcangel & De La Ghetto, which wasn’t a great act but they were a standout. Austin Santos “La maravisha” was one of the surprises 2008 gave us, so I was really looking forward to discover the other half of the project. Recently, the visionary now part of Mad Decent Toy Selectah not only recommended Masacre Musical but says is one of the best releases of 2008. Although I don’t quite agree with him, I had a fun time listening to this, it’s unexpectedly romantic and that would for sure bother many. I’m still swallowing Arcangel’s official debut, which is already out in stores but it’s hard to jump on a conclusion just yet, it’s a frustrating record but frustratingly pleasant. Back to Masacre Musical, let’s get one thing straight, production-wise it’s a great urban album, there’s much creativeness with beats, even some exploration with electronic bouncing. But this guy is missing the amazingly amusing vocals of his old partner, and just like Yankee in Talento de Barrio puts too much emphasis on singing instead of flourishing his talent as a rapper. First single “Es Dificil” belongs completely to American R&B, and it’s quite good. Randy collaborates in “Nota Loca”, one of the highlights of the album and if I’m not mistaken, an assured single. Too many tracks fall into cliché and not too distinct lyrically, but the musical base is interesting to say the least. The English-language tracks actually have potential for mainstream radio, and the bilingual radio format which is increasingly popular in the states. Now here is the catch, the opening track “Gansta” is the bomb, so much that it makes the rest of the album look bad. It is musically epic, very anthem like and the album’s ultimate high point. 

♫♫♫ "Gansta"
buy @ amazon.com
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"Chica Virtual", Arcangel

I don’t usually please requests, simply because that’s like not the point of this blog at all, but considering that it’s coming from several readers, well, why not? Before I make the post even more confusing, I’m talking about a requested song, “Chica Virtual” by Arcangel (one of the most popular tracks on our Rocola). It gets frustrating to talk about this artist because nothing seems to solidify in his favor, and I’m scared he’ll go the wrong way and become just another reggaeton artist, which he isn’t. Arcangel is collaborating with everybody, even making the official remix for Flex’s “Te Quiero” and that’s both depressing and scary, he has not released an official physical album yet and is one of the most demanded artists in the genre. Arcangel needs some guidance, stay away from the Daddy Yankees and the Don Omares, keep Nejo y Dalmata very close and put some more fire into Full Records. Don’t disappoint me; you got the material to become huge with your rough egocentric proposal. I posted a video for “Chica Virtual” on Halloween, which has Michael Jackson’s video footage, and our readers really loved it to the point people are asking if it’s a new single. Truth is, this song is from his 2007 The New King Mix Tape, which was my first encounter with reggaeton’s new guru. At some point I intended to post the following video on our ‘Video Bizarro’ series, but I might as well post it now, it’s sexy and the woman‘s last line is adorable: “I don’t know Spanish, but who cares, I tried my best.” That’s the spirit!

♫♫♫ "Chica Virtual"

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Artist of the Week: J. Balvin

Artist: J. Balvin
Genre: Reggaeton / Urban
Country: Colombia

J Balvin is an independent Reggaeton singer, who began his career sending his singles to radio stations and never imagined that he was about to become a mass phenomenon in Colombia, one of the first countries to welcome the recent movement of the Latin urban music. Today, his popularity in the country, within the fans of the genre, is as big as that of Daddy Yankee and Don Omar. And he deserves it. Until now, J Balvin has recorded collaborations with Zion, Hector "El Father", and Ñejo & Dalmata, and shared the stage with the most representative artists of the genre. He is even rehearsing to be the opening act of 50 Cent on his Colombian Tour.

His debut album titled Real, which consists of 21 tracks, is really good, although at times erratic. At first, the album was sold from door to door or to his friends, but now, thanks to the impact on lists and the two nominations at the “Nuestra Tierra - Colombian Music Awards", Universal Music has been interested in distributing his records. From "Real" high quality singles have emerged becoming dance floor anthems, such as “Obra de arte" (work of art), perfect for dancing until dying of exhaustion. Or “Éxtasis”, recomended for the perreo. But not everything is reggaeton. His music incorporates elements of R&B, funk, hip hop and Caribbean rhythms, while his lyrics speak about love and human relationships without falling into the ease of vulgarity, positioning a clean style and an efficient way of rapping.

The Best of luck to a career that just takes off and it deserves the achieve international recognition.

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