The second annual Now ¡Esto Es Musica! Latino volume follows the template of its predecessor, mixing up some reggaeton with a bunch of Latin pop, to similarly enjoyable results. This year there's a greater portion of reggaeton, with eight of the 20 selections boasting elements of the increasingly popular style; however, the reggaeton of these songs is more imaginatively employed -- and in most cases, lighter in tone -- than last year, illustrating the style's steady shift into the mainstream of Latin music. This facilitates ...
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The second annual Now ¡Esto Es Musica! Latino volume follows the template of its predecessor, mixing up some reggaeton with a bunch of Latin pop, to similarly enjoyable results. This year there's a greater portion of reggaeton, with eight of the 20 selections boasting elements of the increasingly popular style; however, the reggaeton of these songs is more imaginatively employed -- and in most cases, lighter in tone -- than last year, illustrating the style's steady shift into the mainstream of Latin music. This facilitates an easy mix of styles on Now ¡Esto Es Musica! Latino, Vol. 2, with the CD moving every few songs from straight pop like RBD and Julieta Venegas to reggaeton and then back. There's a noticeable absence of regional Mexican as well as tropical hits here. For instance, it would have been nice to see even a crossover act like the Kumbia Kings or Olga Tañón represented, if only for the sake of acknowledging the great breadth of contemporary popular Latin music. Nonetheless, there's only so much space on a single-disc compilation like this, and given the space at hand, the contributing major labels (Universal, Sony BMG, EMI) offer enough first-rate hits to make Now ¡Esto Es Musica! Latino, Vol. 2 easily enjoyable for anyone with mainstream taste. Practically every inclusion is a potential highlight, and it's especially nice to see the inclusion of Calle 13, Belanova, and Fonseca, who are welcome newcomers to the mainstream, imbuing it with a healthy dose of freshness. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi
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