Karol G, Feid, DFZM ft. Ovy On The Drums, J Balvin, Maluma, Ryan Castro, Blessd - +57
It’s a proper Colombian affair with all artists featured being from the South American nation and the song itself named after the country’s dialling code. While the artists have blended their styles effortlessly, ‘+57’ has faced controversy over lyric, ‘Una mamacita desde los fourteen’ now changed to ‘eighteen’. Karol G may be the only woman on the track but she asserts her presence alongside her male peers with vocals flowing across the full five-minute dembow record. It would be a disservice not discussing this track’s success, amassing 28 million views on Youtube during its first week of release. La Bichota sings ‘Pa' la buena suerte, tanguita amarilla’ and she’s not joking, you can grab your own thong with the same bejewelled lyrics directly from her site!
Rauw Alejandro & Laura Pausini – Se Fue
A commanding electric guitar and static-filled synths work hand in hand to create an instrumental so cinematic, this song craves every listener’s full attention. When listening to this Alejandro and Pausini link-up it’s comforting to hear two artists display their craft combining music past and present. Originally released in 1994, Alejandro first showed interest in this influential single when he performed a solo version at the Latin Grammys last year before featuring this all-new production on his album ‘Cosa Nuestra’, this month. The journey for this song ending up in the Puerto-Rican’s discography was remarkable to watch and is even more rewarding to listen to.
Elena Rose & Maria Becerra – Pa’ Qué Volviste?
Marking their second song together, this time Rose and Becerra swap the sensual fantasies of ‘La Ducha’ for a completely different mindset, ‘Hoy me desperté y no te pensé’. The music video for this track sees these leading ladies sporting wedding dresses as they dismiss and interrogate past lovers, ‘¿Pa' qué volviste si ya te fuiste?’. Rose evokes her inner rapper halfway through the collaboration starting ‘Y si preguntan por mí / Díganle que estoy re bien y re buena’. The instrumental is reminiscent to one of Becerra’s past female duets ‘Míenteme’, using similar cumbia rhythms.
Matt Louis & RaiNao – ABA
‘ABA’ is calling out to all clubs, as Puerto Ricans Matt Louis and RaiNao flaunt over this house-infused instrumental . RaiNao’s first appearance on this beat is a sensual talk-singing style that establishes her playful characteristics, this same sound can be heard throughout her prior singles too. Louis doesn’t sugarcoat anything opening the collaboration ‘Dímelo Yo sé que tú también piensas en mí’, and RaiNao similarly matches his daring nature later on, ‘Tú sabes que esto no sales de aquí ni tú tampoco de mi cama’. The Puerto Ricans certainly aren’t shy in using the club soundscape to flirt and tease.
Sebastián Yatra & Bad Gyal – 2AM
There’s pop, there’s reggaeton and there’s a Dido sample. ‘2AM’ pays homage to English singer Dido and her timeless single ‘Thank You’ by utilising the same chorus melody. This pop-reggaeton fusion is easily about to make its way onto everyone’s party playlists, especially with the addition of Barcelona’s finest, Bad Gyal. As she leads the duet confessing, ‘Son las dos de la mañana y no sé dónde estás’, Yatra repeats this back with both singing ‘Ahora que empecé a tomar/ Quiero verte/ Te quiero llamar/ Te quiero llamar’. It's a great dancefloor-calling single that is craving some much-needed crowd chants.
Bonus Track:
Cris MJ, Kali Uchis & Jhayco – SI NO ES CONTIGO (REMIX)
Originally released in May, this solo track gained not one but two features in the form of Colombian American Kali Uchis and Puerto Rican Jhayco. The dembow rhythms go hard on this single and continue from start to finish, it’s a fully-fledged reggaeton number. Uchis airy and light vocals help break up the sections between Cris MJ and Jhayco’s verses, offering listeners with a refreshing voice they can’t help but fall in love with. She knows it herself too crooning, ‘De mí eres adicto, se te nota por encima’. Cris MJ has handpicked some fine talent and the efforts of this remix prove it.
