Have to put my hand up. I didn’t realize that Alvaro Soler was releasing this album this week. Literally no idea. However, I’m happy we’re here. Soler has produced some big hits over the years so let’s see what kind of magic he has for us now.
Magia is Soler’s third studio album. You can certainly feel a difference in this outing versus his earlier work. The tracks on Magia feel like they break out of the formulaic progression of most of his music. I mentioned in last week’s New Music Friday post that his music is formulaic (but not in a bad way). On this album, he completely subverts my expectations. Every song has a different feel from the one that proceeds it. It’s a huge step in his artistic evolution without a doubt.
There are certianly tracks that are very enjoyable on Magia. The titular single is undoubtedly the best song on the album. It’s super infectious, addicting, and fun. “Te Busque” incorporates French which is a unique move and one that elevates the song. “Differente” and “Dejala Que Baile” are both fun tracks that get people moving.
The general issue, however, is that most of the songs leave me ambivalent. They aren’t worth re-listening to but they aren’t bad. Many of this songs just don’t rise to level that would make this a great album, or even one that must be revisited. Most of the tracks vary between forgettable and decent with some exceptions at each end.
There are some straight up misses on the album to be sure. “Amor Para Llevar” is one of those tracks. I’ll concede that there will be people who enjoy it but I’m not one of them. “No Te Entiendo” is another track that falls into that same category. It’s probably fine to some, but it’s generally not that great of a song.
Final Thoughts
Alvaro Soler delivers a decent album. This isn’t an album that you’ll come back to very often but it does have some power in it’s singles, especially the title track. Glad Soler is back making music but this probably won’t be the album to catapult him to the top of the charts.
7.1/10