Three generations of Puerto Rican hit makers join forces this week as , and kick off our new music offerings. continues her stellar run of singles and artists definitely deserving of more recognition are also represented.
Ricky Martin, Residente & Bad Bunny, "C谩ntalo"
Just days before the Latin Grammys air on Thursday, three of Puerto Rico's G.O.A.T.s released "C谩ntalo" on Tuesday. The salsa-reggaeton hybrid sounds almost perfectly calibrated to offset the criticism the Latin Grammys have received this year for shortchanging urbano in all categories except the urbano-specific one. A reimagined version of Hector Lavoe's "" with the help of giants like , and , "C谩ntalo" celebrates the uplift of the Puerto Rican people through music 鈥� a mission all three artists championed this year during the #RickyRenuncia movement. Their performance of the song at the Latin Grammys will provide a much-needed (if still lacking) urbano presence on that stage. 鈥� Stefanie Fern谩ndez
搁辞蝉补濒铆补, "A Pal茅"
搁辞蝉补濒铆补's 2019 has included collaborations with and , an EP half in Catal谩n, and a much-deserved conversation about . Since her album El Mal Querer came out a year ago last week, the pop-flamenco singer has been trying on new identities in more ways than one. On "A Pal茅," produced by and Frank Dukes (who both produced "Con Altura"), she gets a little more experimental with electronic sounds and her lower register, reverting to the industrial aesthetic inspired by the trucking industry of her childhood neighborhood. Even if I don't totally get it, I think I much prefer Strange 搁辞蝉补濒铆补. (Though something's up with that false unibrow and gold teeth.) 鈥� Stefanie Fern谩ndez
MillionYoung, "Respiro"
Miami producer Mike Diaz has been serving delectable chillwave for a decade as MillionYoung, and his latest track is just as elegant. "Respiro" breathes with loops of synths, bongos, and bass that sound pulled from a Miami mall twenty-five years ago, colored with the pastel nostalgia that gave us vaporwave, but better. 鈥� Stefanie Fern谩ndez
Henry Cole & Villa Locura, "Caminando (feat. Tego Calder贸n)"
As a kid from the hip-hop generation, was inspired by Puerto Rico's rich drum history. The jazz drum set called out to him and he forged a path heavily influenced by the music he heard on the streets.
"Caminando" is a '70s funk-styled groove with reggaetonero making a guest appearance not so much as a rapper or a singer, but as a spoken word artist.
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