The Weekly Coos

Marshmello – Sugar Papi

I often listen to albums where my itch to review falls by the wayside, but sometimes I feel like talking about them because of Latin music’s massive influence on mainstream music. One of these albums is Sugar Papi by Marshmello in his ongoing attempt to stay current with the trends. Though his last album saw some of that, and more through the nostalgia factor — I’m looking at you, “Rescue Me” (feat. A Day To Remember — and before, just whatever hip pop or synth-pop band was rising; despite the sometimes barebones pop sounds of it all, they have brought some enjoyment, mainly because nostalgia can be one helluva of a drug. Sugar Papi continues to maintain his lane within trending patterns, and for someone trying to assimilate into reggaeton/Latino Urbano sounds, weaving a tapestry full of party hits and a little ingenuity. Sugar Papi starts on a predominately high note with “Tempo,” where Marshmello, alongside co-producers Caleb Calloway, FnZ, Mauro, and Lil Mexico, brings the percussion forward with intense force, giving Miko a stellar platform to flow effervescently; unfortunately, the consistency immediately falters and you get left picking up the pieces. 

Sugar Papi comes through with a quick one-two punch in its first two songs, “Tempo” and “Tusi,” the latter of which is named after a popular Latin-derived powdery drug—I won’t shy away and say the interest has sheds on me, but I digress—“Tusi” has the energy and rhythmic structure to keep the hype levels high, despite playing it safe with some of its production choices that feel more panderish towards the genre than nuanced. Unfortunately, like the color of Marshmello’s schtick, the album is predominately vanilla. That doesn’t devoid it of quality, as some songs have captivating factors working for them, whether it’s a catchy hook or melodies, and it speaks loudly. As anyone who’s a fan of music, it’s hard for me to harp on it because it isn’t offensive EDM Latin music, but at least it gets the job done for those needing something to dance to. Through them, Marshmello incorporates soundscapes from other genre zones—some still do little to have the same enigmatic or vibrant energy of the former two and later tracks like “Como Yo :(” with Argentine Rapper/Singer Thiago PZK, a fun pop rock track I found myself fond of.

One of the final tracks on Sugar Papi is “Dónde Están Que No Los Veo,” featuring Colombian group ChocQuibTown, and they make the track their own despite the production’s limitations. It isn’t one of those tracks you must seek, but fans of the group or newcomers will get a kick of what they deliver. Fortunately, they have an eclectic discography to seek; Marshmello’s boastfulness with these trendy directions allows many to discover since, like radio, we still have instinctive motions to let AI DJs curate playlists based on listening history and habit; if one of these songs pop on, you could have gotten worse. Now, it may sound like there isn’t much to latch onto or venture into—at least the incorporation of other soundscapes allows listeners to get a taste of more than just reggaeton, as evident with the Manuel Turizo-assisted “El Merengue.” So, as you venture and give this brisk 30-minute album a few spins, you could do worse, and for fans of Marshmello, at least he keeps it different and overtly interesting despite the final outcome. I know I was, even if it’s just five songs I’m going to return to; I hope I can guarantee at least one hit for you.

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Feid – FerxxoCalipsis: Review

It hasn’t been long since Feid dropped his album, Mor, No Le Temas a la Oscuridad, and gave us some tantalizing hits that showcased new genre blends for the Colombian Singer-Songwriter. Akin to what he did last year, Feid dropped another mini project in December. As it has been with Latin music, House music has been the electronic genre of choice, weaving its influence, and Feid has shown that openness, but he doesn’t stay centered on one genre, like many artists these days. Unlike the Bad Bunny record from October, Feid can maintain a rhythmic consistency due to his project possessing focus on what it wants to be instead of being overly ambitious. He doesn’t mince around and allows the music to have a definitive end, even when it isn’t a perfect cohesion of sound—so much so that I can say it felt more rewarding replaying Feid’s last album than Bad Bunny’s recent, mainly because his was like a composite of a Picasso with a thematic idea in mind losing luster. Feid’s follow-up to Mor, No Le Temas a la Oscuridad, FerxxoCalipsis, continues to expand and expound on its signature sonic grit, allowing the reggaeton to shine beneath some fluorescent production and giving fans more tantalizing songs to kick back to and vibe with as you warm up inside the club atmosphere or at house parties this December.

FerxxoCalipsis is an EP, and with it, that pre-conceived briskness comes in a fun flurry; it isn’t a negative attribute, as with this one, it becomes a collective of Feid’s inner musical psychosis, where each beat is aligned to elevate his vocal craft. Additionally, we get to see Feid wet his fingers into some unique production you wouldn’t normally hear from him or some of his frequent co-collaborators. In this case, it’s with ATL Jacobs, Hendrix Smoke, 254Bodi, EVRGRN, and FritzOnDaTrack who bring their sense of hip-hop into the Latin-charged track and give it life amongst the predominately tame but solid flavor of reggaeton-pop getting presented to you. The production is sobering, comparatively, but brings the vibes for the dancefloor while retaining the lyrical cadence of reggaeton–i.e., focusing heavily on themes of love and living life to the fullest. It makes this a fun thrill ride that isn’t forgettable and continues to add to the quality music that Feid gives us album after album. Who can complain at that point? It has fun melodies and a remedied but safe flow that you’re not there overly thinking about instead of just letting yourself flow with the rhythm.