El Fenomeno

On his solo debut *El Fenómeno* the Reggaeton singer Arcangel cleverly capitalizes on a number of popular trends in American R&B singing — like Akon, T-Pain and a host of others — through a number of effects filters that flatten his vocals into a robotic croak. Though singers like Roger Troutman of Zapp popularized this technique in the early ‘80s, Akon and his ilk have effectively used the style to cultivate an atmosphere of icy futurism and emotional dislocation. Though Arcangel is clearly taking cues from this trend on songs like “Por Amar a Ciegas” he’s arguably more successful at utilizing distorted vocals than any of his American peers. More than any of his previous work *El Fenómeno* is a masterstroke of identity building, alternating between sweetly delivered songs about the criminal lifestyle and love songs that are given added punch by the bleak context within which they are situated. Ultimately, *El Fenómeno* is a satisfyingly complex debut for Arcangel that stands head and shoulder over the offerings of other Reggaeton singers.