After their collaboration with Cardi B on “I Like It,” it comes as no surprise that J Balvin and Bad Bunny have joined forces once again and given the masses Oasis, their first LP together. Oasis was only released hours ago, and in that same amount of time, it has become an instant hit. There’s no doubt it will be one of the best albums of 2019.
Eight tracks, three videos, and two collaborations at 31 minutes total are all you need to take a geographic journey to a land of rhythm and flow. The first album of its kind in Spanish-language music, Oasis goes to basic essence of Caribbean and Latin American music, fusing it with more electronic sounds to reach a younger and global audience. Trap, dembow, Afrobeat (coming from Mr. Eazi’s collaboration in “Como Un Bebé”), R&B, and traditional sounds from the Andes (in “Un Peso,” featuring Marciano Cantero from Argentinian band Los Enanitos Verdes) are some of the elements that draw all the richness and diversity of Latin American culture.
J Balvin and Bad Bunny are a fascinating phenomenon in the global pop music scene, and Oasis is a gift to music and anyone willing to enjoy the emotional rollercoaster this album is. Refusing to sing in English, as Spanish-speaking artists had to do in the past if they wanted to do a “cross-over,” these Caribbean artists from Puerto Rico and Colombia have reached a global audience and conquered the American music industry. Lollapalooza and Coachella are just some of the milestones that come to mind to exemplify how reggaeton came to stay and grow in essence and reach.
As someone who has recently discovered reggaeton (I grew up hearing it at clubs and parties, but I never took the time to actually listen to it), I have finally found the joy, freedom, and flow of this genre. Now, not all reggaeton is good, especially now that’s produced by the mainstream music industry. But Oasis is something else, something special. It’s a set of songs that can be heard just as Rayuela can be read: in order from beginning to end or at random, depending on the will of the reader. Bad Bunny and J Balvin’s LP is something new that somehow feels really familiar as well, which is kind of the essence of Latin American music.
Instant hits: “Un Peso,” “Mojaíta,” and “Odio.”
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