Barrio Fino

Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee balances dance music with philosophical tunes on this 21-track CD. The engine driving this collection is the smash single "Gasolina," with its basic reggae beat and its catchy chorus "Dame mas gasolina!" ("Give me more gasoline"). Also highly danceable are "No me Dejes Solo," featuring guest singers Wisin y Yandel, and the English-language pop-reggaeton tune "Like You." But Daddy Yankee also reflects on his barrio on "Salud y Vida" ("Health and Life"), a rap tune that questions society's endless pursuit of material things. Like fellow raggeton artists Tego Calderon, Daddy Yankee admires big-band salsa. Among his influences he counts noted singer Andy Montanez, who guests on the track "Sabor a Melao." Montanez's distinctive gruff vocals add a soulful flavor to the track. --Ramiro Burr