Da' Take Over

Album Review

Offering something for reggaeton fans of all stripes, Da' Take Over, the third album by Angel & Khriz, is an album with a wide range of styles and collaborations. The Puerto Rican duo's first album, Los MVP's (2004), and its smash hit single "Ven Báilalo" firmly established Angel & Khriz as one of reggaeton's rising stars at the time of its release. Their second album, Showtime (2008), then demonstrated their versatility. The Showtime singles "La Vecina" and "Na de Na" weren't quite as successful as "Ven Báilalo" had been, but Angel & Khriz were praised for pushing the boundaries of reggaeton to include aspects of tropical and urban music. Like Showtime, Da' Take Over is a diverse album on which each successive track differs from its predecessor in terms of style. The songs tend to alternate between tropical- and urban-inflected reggaeton styles. The tropical-inflected songs include the lead single "Ayer la Ví," the bachata effort "Me Enamore," and the salsa workout "Mal Negocio." The urban-inflected songs include the electro-enhanced club-bangers "Ella Quiere (Que, He, He)," "Maltrátame," and "Súbelo (Turn It Up)." In addition, there are a bunch of featured guests who show up every few tracks, most notably Flo Rida on "Súbelo (Turn It Up)," Victor Manuelle on "Mal Negocio," and Divino on "Como Olvidarte." The album opener, "No Hacen Na," is remarkably star-studded, featuring Daddy Yankee, Arcangel, Vico C, and four others, but there are so many guests on the three-and-a-half-minute track, none is given enough time to stand out from the pack. With such a wide range of styles and collaborations, Da' Take Over offers something for anyone with so much as a passing interest in reggaeton. Moreover, many of the tracks are impressive and worthy of being released as singles. In spite of this album's lofty title, Angel & Khriz aren't going to overtake Wisin & Yandel anytime soon as reggaeton's reigning duo, but they're surely one of the style's most likable acts and are blessed with one of its most versatile producers in Juan Santana.