JOSE

by Balvin,J

Overview

In recent years, Colombian superstar J Balvin has worked along bold lines: Vibras put forth a blueprint for reggaeton's new identity, OASIS forged a Latin "The Throne," and Colores audio-visually explored relationships between color and sound. Yet, amid all these outward ideas, there's been little focus on Balvin himself. What happens when the concept of the album isn't a concept at all, but simply Jose Balvin? This is a question that the vocalist's sixth studio LP, JOSE, seeks to answer. Based simply around its eponymous creator, JOSE feels like a partial return to the genre-blending ethos of Energia -- but the five years between the albums has changed the man behind the mic. Balvin is now not just a visionary, but a titan -- "nobody has to tell me that I am a legend, I give that to myself" runs opening track "F40" -- and he carries that status throughout, producing polished renditions of the style he was so instrumental in pioneering. His seductive vibes and smooth melodies remain unmatched across solo cuts like "Vestido" and "Suerte," while "Si Te Atreves" and "Que Locura," the latter sounding like a forgotten jewel unearthed from the Vibras era, offer demonstrations of his hit-making prowess. However, this status carries just as well outside of his reggaeton kingdom, empowering the confident boasts of "Billetes de 100," sunshine-speckled trap of "La Familia," and earnest balladry of "Querido Rio." "7 de Mayo," the musician's most poignant and reflective single to date, sounds just as beautiful here as it did all those months ago. After the isolationist Colores, it's refreshing to hear Balvin alongside three generations of contemporaries here: Zion & Lennox put a punch into "Si Te Atreves," Ozuna and Myke Towers prove strong melodic and lyrical partners to Balvin, and new faces like Maria Becerra and Jay Wheeler shine in the later cuts. The Sech-assisted "Una Nota" is a breezy highlight in and of itself, but when Yandel arrives for a surprise second-parter, the track finds a joyous new purpose. Of all Balvin's guests, its Jhay Cortez who produces something transcendent: "La Venganza" is an unquestionable career highlight, a starry-skied and bittersweet revenge banger fueled by twinkling synths and a luring, nocturnal undertone. With the album's liberal approach to concept, Balvin opens himself up to a scattering of new ideas, but that scattershot approach also raises questions of where to stop. With a 24-deep track list, JOSE can feel more like a compilation than a statement; clearing out the few blunders ("Perra," "In Da Getto") and older singles ("Un Dia," "Otra Noche Sin Ti") would produce a work with a stronger core identity. Yet part of that critique is also part of the album's appeal: JOSE is a representation of Balvin in the moment, a whirlwind of its creator's thoughts and ideas. It's a colorful, wide-ranging romp of an album -- and an airy liberation for its titular figure. ~ David Crone

Product Details

Release Date:	11/19/2021
Label:	Universal
UPC:	0602438673315
Rank:	19321

Album Credits

Performance Credits

J Balvin   Primary Artist,Voices
Khalid   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Sonny Moore   Primary Artist,Voices
Yandel   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Zion & Lennox   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Nicky Jam   Primary Artist,Voices
Feid   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Arcangel   Primary Artist,Voices
Skrillex   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Tainy   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Dua Lipa   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Karol G   Primary Artist,Voices
Ozuna   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Bad Bunny   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Jhay Cortez   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Myke Towers   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Sech   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Crissin   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Jay Wheeler   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Maria Becerra   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Totoy El Frio   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Tokischa Altagracia Peralta   Primary Artist,Voices,Featured Artist
Natan & Shander   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Tokischa   Primary Artist,Voices
Lennox   Featured Artist
Diplo   Drums,Guitar
Rampa   Drums
Maximilian Jaeger   Drums,Guitar,Synthesizer
Richard Cook Mears IV   Guitar
Juan David Lujan Torres   Bass,Drums,Keyboards,Percussion
Natanael Baena Vergara   Voices
Alexander Rojas Pineda   Bass,Drums,Keyboards,Percussion,Guitar (Acoustic)
Alexander Baena Vergara   Voices
Wondra030   Drums,Guitar

Technical Credits

Sly Dunbar   Composer
Khalid   Composer
Rio   Composer
David Morales   Composer
Lennox   Composer
Jose Martinez   Composer
Luis Angel   Composer
De La Cruz   Producer,Producer
Handel Tucker   Composer
Sonny Moore   Composer,Producer
Yandel   Composer
Zion & Lennox   Composer
Diplo   Composer,Producer,Programming
Nicky Jam   Remixing
Zion   Composer,Composer
Josh Gudwin   Mixing
Lelo   Producer
Nelson Diaz   Composer
Juan Vargas   Composer
Delta Bennett   Composer
Alejandro Borrero   Composer
Alejandro Ramirez   Composer,Mixing Engineer
Feid   Composer
Arcangel   Composer
The Martinez Brothers   Remix Engineer
Jazz   Producer
David Vogt   Composer
Colin Leonard   Mastering Engineer
Henry Fong   Remix Engineer
Omniverse   Composer
Luis O'Neill   Composer
Luis O'Neil Laureano   Composer
Skrillex   Composer,Producer
Philip Boellhoff   Composer
Rampa   Producer,Programming
J Balvin   Composer,Producer,Remixing,Executive Producer
Richie Lopez   Composer
Emanuel Infante   Composer
Kristian Ginorio   Composer
Sipho Sililo   Composer
Hannes Buescher   Composer
Thomas Wesley Pentz   Composer
Gregor Suetterlin   Composer
Clarence Coffee, Jr.   Composer
Jasper Helderman   Composer,Producer
Marcos Masis   Composer,Producer
Tainy   Composer,Producer,Recording
Chris Lorenzo   Remix Engineer
Rompiendo Corazones   Composer,Producer
Maximilian Jaeger   Producer,Programming
Juan Diego Medina   Composer
Daystar Peterson   Composer
Justin Quiles   Composer
John Fredy Marin   Composer
Nydia Laner   Composer
Rene Cano   Composer
Alejandro "Sky" Ramirez   Composer,Mixing Engineer
Carlos Alejandro Patino Gomez   Mastering Engineer
Cromo X   Composer
Nick Rivera Caminero   Composer
Dua Lipa   Composer
Lenny Tavarez   Composer
Jose Alvaro Osorio Balvin   Composer
Karol G   Remixing
Juan Carlos Ozuna   Composer
Richard Cook   Composer
Ozuna   Composer
Richard Cook Mears IV   Composer
Carolina Giraldo Navarro   Composer
Ronal Eduardo Hernandez Toro   Composer
Bad Bunny   Composer
Bas Van Daalen   Composer,Producer
Johan Bastidas   Composer
Khalid Robinson   Composer
Jeff Kleinman   Composer,Producer
Bull Nene Cano   Composer
Mosty   Composer,Producer
Jhay Cortez   Composer
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio   Composer
Myke Towers   Composer
Brad Smalling   Engineer,Recording
Elijah Marrett-Hitch   Engineer,Recording,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Jazz the Hitmen   Producer
Erick A. Celis Marin   Composer
Lenin Yorney Palacios Machado   Composer
Kevyn Mauricio Cruz   Composer
Sech   Composer
BCA   Composer
Erick Ant   Producer
Leonardo Felipe Yasmil   Composer
Leo RD   Producer
Misael De La Cruz Reynoso   Composer
Keityn   Composer,Producer
Richi Lopez   Composer,Producer
Juan David Lujan Torres   Composer,Mixing Engineer
Christian Camilo Tascon   Composer
Natanael Baena Vergara   Composer
Lexuz   Producer
TSHA   Remix Engineer
Taiko   Composer,Producer
Jota Rosa   Composer,Producer
Kris Floyd   Composer
Michael Torres Monge   Composer
Jose Angel Lopez Martinez   Composer
Luis Suarez Silva   Composer
Alexander Rojas Pineda   Composer,Recording,Mixing Engineer
Maria Becerra   Composer
Ivanni Rodriguez   Composer
Andres Jael Correa Rios   Composer
Gerald Oscar Jimenez   Composer
Sky Rompiendo   Composer,Producer
Fabrizzio Hernandez Dovalle   Composer
Keytin   Composer
Maximiliano Rivera Cordoba   Composer
Jota   Composer
Kevin Louzau Rossello   Composer
Tokischa Altagracia Peralta   Composer
Juan Camilo Vargas Vasquez   Composer
Alex the Big Pieces   Producer
Alexander Baena Vergara   Composer
Fenix the Producer   Producer
Yei Lopez   Creation
Mvsis   Composer,Producer
David Bogt   Composer
Wondra030   Producer,Programming
Raymi Miguel Paulus Torres   Composer
Alberto Carlos Melendez   Composer
Tokischa   Composer
Ethan Kotel   Assistant Engineer
Michael Braun   Composer,Producer