PLAYA SATURNO

The ascent of Rauw Alejandro from his R&B-minded reggaetonero beginnings to his visionary global superstar status remains one of the most remarkable rises in Latin music in the 2020s. By the time 2022’s retrofuturistic *SATURNO* arrived, the Puerto Rican singer had amassed an extraordinary following by aggressively yet accessibly pushing past the boundaries of his chosen genre. For this companion album, he presents a veritable beach party playlist to soundtrack the summer and beyond. To that end, *PLAYA SATURNO* leans frequently into his progressive reggaetón strengths, recruiting respected predecessors like Ñejo & Dalmata and Jowell & Randy for “NO ME LA MOLESTE” and “PONTE NASTY,” respectively. The legendary Ivy Queen blesses “CELEBRANDO” with the raw power of her delivery, making for a truly historic moment. Perhaps more impressive still is the way Alejandro brings others into his uniquely constructed world, including veteran pop singer Miguel Bosé and corridos tumbados heartbreaker Junior H. “BABY HELLO,” the Bizarrap collab that first heralded the album’s arrival, closes things out on a thumping high.

The Puerto Rican hitmaker attempts to replicate the magic of his celestial 2022 album in this summery spinoff but winds up lost in space.