Unisex

A few years back when the contemporary Latin R&B wave first began cresting, some suspected this musical movement would somehow stay contained within the ample bounds of reggaetón. As it turned out, nothing could contain these young and ambitious artists any more than their English-language counterparts. Among this esteemed group was Dalex, whose breakout success leading posse cuts “Cuaderno” and “Pa Mí” set him on a positive path towards stardom. With the release of *Unisex*, the singer makes a potent entry into this exciting, liberating, and forward-thinking movement that has moved well beyond promising beginnings. Naturally, he hasn’t abandoned the dembow rhythms that served him so well up to and through 2020’s *Modo Avión*, partnering with rising star Jay Wheeler on “Superior” and genre legends Zion & Lennox on “Peleamos.” That said, the Dalex on display here boasts arena prospects via the synthwave retro-futurism of “Máquina Del Tiempo,” which links him with similarly mobilized generational peers Rauw Alejandro and Lyanno. He’s also not afraid to lean hard into his R&B side, resulting in emotive moments on “Llora” and the methodically paced dancehall fusion “Lambo.”