Album Review: J Balvin, ‘Jose’

J Balvin has made it clear that he’s a trailblazing act in Latin music; his goal is simply to push the genre forward. He’s done so with powerhouse songs in the past that introduced us to his stylings, like “Mi Gente” or “I Like It Like That” with Cardi B.

More recently, the producer and singer-songwriter shared a more personal side of him on his 24-track album, ‘Jose.’ The record showcases Balvin’s well-known and critically-acclaimed sound while also sharing new and exciting renditions of Latin music and reggaeton.

Balvin is an avid collaborator; in 2018, he introduced us to Rosalía on “Brillio,” who has now taken the industry by storm. Similarly, Balvin worked with acts like the Panamanian singer Sech on “Una Nota” and Yandel on the fiery tune “Te Acuerdas De Mi.”

On other tracks like “In Da Ghetto” and “Otra Noche Sin Ti,” we hear mainstream artists like Khalid and Skrillex who bring a level of uniqueness to the record while Balvin attempts to blur the lines between genres like reggaeton, hip-hop, r&b, and electronic.

The heart of the project has to be the outstanding and sought-after sounds on “Otra Fili” with Jay Wheeler and “Qué Más Pues?” with Maria Beccera; both perfectly encapsulate the dynamic and vibe of the album at large.

Instead of breaking norms and attempting to dive into new sonic paths, Balvin remains unapologetically himself in this record, especially on comforting and downtempo tracks like “Suerte,” “Querido Rio,” and “La Familia.”

When speaking with radio personality Zane Lowe, Balvin mentioned that “This’ll be the first album where I’m like ‘That’s J Balvin,” as he dives deeper into his heritage’s sonic traditions while creating music that unapologetically represents his every way.