Rating:
Genre:
Latin
Release Date: 09/26/2006
Rhythmically and melodically,
Latin pop doesn't necessarily sound a lot different from English-language
pop. Some
Latin pop is strictly
adult contemporary, Top 40, or
teen pop that just happens to be in Spanish; the thing that sets it apart from English-language
pop is a linguistic difference, not a rhythmic, melodic or harmonic one. But there are other Latin popsters who liberally incorporate Spanish and Latin American rhythms, and
Antonio Rayo, aka
Rayito, is a prime example.
Rayito hasn't always focused on
Latin pop vocals; in the past, he recorded as a
flamenco guitarist/instrumentalist. But this self-titled disc is the Madrid native's debut as a
Latin pop singer. There is no doubt that this is a
pop album, but it is a
pop album that draws on everything from Spanish
flamenco (
"Ojo por Ojo," "Carmen" and the single
"Me Falta") to Afro-Cuban
salsa (
"Aquí Huele a Quemao," "Hombreriega"). And this 44-minute CD has non-Hispanic influences as well, certainly.
"Fiel" incorporates both
hip-hop and East European music, and
"Que Va" employs a
reggae beat. Because
Rayito is originally from Spain (the
madrileño moved to Miami at age 14 and was 24 when this album came out in 2006) and is a
pop singer with both Spanish and Latin American influences, he will likely be compared to
David Bisbal and
David Bustamante (two well known
Latin pop singers who are also from Spain and became famous in the early 2000s). But
Rayito is his own man, and he shows a lot of promise as a
Latin pop singer on this 2006 release.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
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