Golden

Three years after his pop breakthrough, 2014’s guest-studded *Fórmula, Vol. 2*, bachata king Romeo Santos returns with a more intimate set of grooves, sounding as if he’d rediscovered the sensual pulse of that singularly Dominican rhythm. *Golden* once again oscillates between delicate and danceable, with the most striking moments swirling like R&B slow jams built from pointillist Latin percussion (“Imitadora”). Whatever the tempo, though, the main draw remains his airy-but-aching falsetto, which hits soulful new heights (“Tuyo”). And while *Golden* scales back his previous eclecticism, Santos still sprinkles in a few surprises, including a mischievous tribute to Motown ballads (“Un Vuelo A La”).

The Bronx-born pop star expands his musical empire on Golden. But for the all the album’s myriad sounds, its roots are firmly planted in bachata, the sounds of the campo.