KOMP 104.9 Radio Compa

Album Review

Komp 104.9 Radio Compa follows Proyecto Akwid, a very successful album that earned a Latin Grammy nomination on top of selling a lot of CDs and scoring a big hit single with "No Hay Maner." As such, it arrived in mid-2004 with high expectations. The duo responsible for the music, Akwid, responded by recording a sort of concept album, one that plays as if it were a radio station. The diverse listing of songs, several of which include guest performers, are interspersed by fictional radio segments. It's a fun and creative approach that certainly differentiates this album from its predecessor and therefore avoids some of the obvious comparisons this follow-up was likely to draw to the celebrated Proyecto Akwid. That said, the concept can be a little distracting if you want to skip around, because you're continually drawn into the radio concept if you let the CD play for a couple tracks. Still, that's not really a problem, given the quality of the music, which is of higher importance. The standout track, "Jamas Imagine," isn't as novel as "No Hay Maner" was, but it's a good song nonetheless and gets the album off to a strong start. Everything considered, Komp 104.9 Radio Compa doesn't seem as revolutionary as Proyecto Akwid had been upon its release, but that's largely because it was released in the shadow of that breakthrough. So if you're simply looking for more of what you heard on Proyecto Akwid, you'll find it here and most likely be satisfied with the results. Otherwise, you're recommended to start with Proyecto Akwid before giving this album a spin. If you do that, you'll better appreciate Komp 104.9 Radio Compa.