Cumbiana II

Much like its vibrant 2020 predecessor, the second full-length installment of Carlos Vives’ *Cumbiana* series demonstrates a fearless commitment to experimenting with traditional and contemporary forms alike. Now decades into his musical career, the Colombian pop icon seems to delight in playing within various genre spaces, often with significant guests in tow. He brings his all to the tropical rhythms of “Canción Bonita” with Ricky Martin and the dancehall deviations of “El Teke Teke” with the Black Eyed Peas and Play-N-Skillz. Elsewhere, he’s glad to cross and blur generational lines as much as he does genre boundaries alongside the likes of Camilo, ChocQuibTown, and Pedro Capó. He honors Dominican legend Johnny Ventura on “Buscando Al Caballo” with both Milly Quezada and Jandy Ventura and pays wider tribute to Argentina’s rock tradition with no less than Fito Páez on “Babel.”