New Music Friday 8/13 – New Sounds from Familiar Voices

It is New Music Friday once again ladies and gentlemen. We have A LOT to go over this week. The major theme of the week is artists we know and love giving a new perspective and new sound to enjoy.

This week we have new music from J Balvin, Prince Royce, Carlos Vives, Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, and so many more.

For last week’s New Music Friday post click here.

Que Locura – J Balvin

This is a wildly different sound for Balvin. That being said, I love it. This is a completely different Balvin from the Vibras days but it somehow works just as well, if not better. I love this song and it definitely will be heavy in rotation for me. Oh, and Jose, his next album will be out on Sept 10th. Let’s go.

Lao a Lao – Prince Royce

Prince Royce’s career has been dipped into a number of genres over his career. His dabbled in reggaeton and pop but always comes back to his bachata roots. This song is the intersection of all of those things. It’s a classic Royce bachata song with with reggaeton undertones. It’s not my favorite Royce song but I like it.

Delicuente – Sebastian Yatra, Jhay Cortez

This was a bit of an odd couple. Yatra, known for his indie pop vibe, and Jhay Cortez known for bangers like “Dakiti” and “En Mi Cuarto”. The pair largely work together well. Their styles aren’t a 1:1 match but they certainly work enough to give us a pretty decent song.

Besos en Cualquier Horario – Carlos Vives, Lucy Vives, Mau Y Ricky

The breakout star of this track is undoubtedly Lucy Vives. I wasn’t even aware of her before this song but I’m now a fan. Aside from being beautiful, she has a great voice. This is a good, fun Colombian summer song. Good stuff.

Don’t Be Shy – Tiesto, Karol G

Karol G’s English debut is here and it’s some good stuff. This is a good EDM track that’s fun and danceable. This will get the people going.

Loquita – Reik, Rauw Alejandro

This was a bit of a letdown if we’re being honest. Rauw Alejandro is a monster and Reik has put out some massive hits of the years. This song isn’t really all that memorable for either of them. It’s not bad but it’s not something I would come back to time and time again. That’s a shame.

Sobre Mi Tumba – Cazzu

This was a bit of a surprise. Cazzu doesn’t always hit for me but this song is great. It starts with a slow eerie vibe but then quickly drops the bottom out for a very good trap song. She doesn’t overdo it like some other artists but instead just delivers a very good song. It’s a welcome surprise from Cazzu.

Todo Caro – Arcangel, Nio Garcia, Casper Magico

It’s always a good thing when Nio and Casper are back together. This is a very solid track. Not the best from any involved but far from their worst. This is a solid fastball right down the middle. If you know any of these guys you know what to expect.

Se Le Ve – Sech, Dalex, Justin Quiles, Arcangel, De La Ghetto, Lenny Tavarez

This song feels very old school in the sense that it packs a ton of artists into a very tight window. We have 6 artists in a song thats about 4.5 minutes long. To everyone’s credit, even though they all have different styles and flows, this song still feels cohesive. I think Quiles wins the track but I’ll leave that up to you. Sound off in the comments about whose verse is the best.

Take My Life – Jay Wheeler, Tyla Yaweh, DJ Nelson

Leave it up to Jay Wheeler to provide us with a new song that harkens back to 2000s pop. Oh and this is his English language debut. This reminds me of something like Post Malone meets Avril Lavigne. It works in a weird way. I would expect this really from Wheeler but hey, the guy knows how to carve out a lane for himself.

Yate – C. Tangana

El Madrileño continues to give us a new look at his abilities. This is a very different kind of song that still somehow fits the vibe Tangana created with his latest album. I’m not entirely sure how to describe this song or what category it falls into. Whatever it is, I’m a fan. It’s wildly different but also wildly good.

Un Secreto – Maikel Delacalle, Lennis Rodriguez

I don’t really know anything about Lennis Rodriguez so this song was a very good introduction. Delacalle is one of the most underrated artists in the game right now in my mind and he really turns in a good performance. This is a good song and I imagine this will be one of those songs in the future where we’ll be surprised by the trajectory of both artists.

Historia De Un Amor – Sinego

This is one of those New Music Friday songs that you play because the title sounds familiar and you don’t really know what you’re getting into. I really can’t decide if I like this song or not. On one hand, it revives a classic of Latin music but at the same time, it doesn’t really make it relevant again in an innovative way. I don’t know how I feel about this if we’re being totally honest here. Listen and decide for yourself.