ENOC

When you’re a globally renowned Latin music superstar like Ozuna, you get to do things your way. Following the king-sized space opera aesthetics of 2019’s artfully conceptual Nibiru, his surprise-dropped fourth album returns to earthly concerns while losing none of his prior project’s opulent sonics, irresistible rhythms, and resplendent hooks. Clearly done with sci-fi fantasias, he takes to the streets on opener “Enemigos Ocultos,” flanked by a multigenerational crew of roughneck reggaetoneros and intimidating traperos including Arcángel, Cosculluela, and Myke Towers.

Though some Ozuna fans would love nothing more than an entire album’s worth of malianteo content, he knows better than to give haters the satisfaction. Instead, what follows is another brilliant set of songs reflecting his artistic growth and commercial success without betraying his genre bona fides. To that end, he wields the awesome power of perreo on cuts like the thrilling throwback “Gistro Amarillo” and the Nicky Jam-backed “Esto No Acaba.” On the poppier side, he sinks his teeth into the pleasures of “Caramelo” and taps English-language hitmakers Doja Cat and Sia for the sun-soaked “Del Mar.” Later, Ozuna brings a balladeer’s grace to the dancehall-informed “Despeinada” with Camilo and the somber piano-led “Duele Querer.”