Argentina-born, Spanish-raised artist Nathy Peluso has been enjoying a meteoric rise since the release of her debut album ‘Calambre’. Following the release of that album Peluso has been nominated for, and won, a slew of awards and she’s collaborated with some of the biggest stars in music including Christina Aguilera. Four years after the release of ‘Calambre’, and a handful of non-album singles, Peluso is back with her second album ‘GRASA’ (‘Fat’), an album that spans a wide variety of sounds and genres.
Fans of Peluso know to expect the unexpected. She’s an artist that can switch genres with ease moving from harder-edged hip-hop stylings through to softer more traditional Latin music. Opening track ‘CORLEONE’, starts with an almost Bond-like hazy instrumentation and vocals easing the listener in before Peluso does a left turn with the hard-hitting ‘APRENDER A AMAR’ (‘Learn to Love’). That song leans into hip-hop with Peluso moving between sharp raps filled with tongue rolls and a spoken-word chorus. The two tracks perfectly showcase the juxtaposition of Peluso’s styles and they set the scene perfectly for ‘GRASA’.
Across ‘GRASA’ Peluso really does expand her sound and tries out lots of different things. ‘LEGENDARIO’ (‘Legendary’) is probably one of the most radio-friendly and commercial leaning tracks with a 90s R&B beat, while ‘ESCALERAS DE METAL’ (‘Metal Stairs’) combines a more classical style of delivery by way of Kate Bush. The way Peluso can so easily change her style, and the way she sings, is jaw-dropping. On the trap-influenced ‘TODO ROTO’ (‘All Broken’), Peluso joins forces with CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso for a harder-edged beat that fits neatly among the likes of current Latin chart-toppers Bad Bunny and Maluma.
One of the album’s highlights is ‘ENVIDIA’ (‘Envy’), a more classic-sounding ballad that allows Peluso’s voice to shine in a way that her harder stuff doesn’t. She has a wonderful vibrato and the dreamy soundscape is gorgeous. Peluso’s softer side comes out on the Blood Orange collaboration ‘EL DÍA QUE PERDÍ MI JUVENTUD’ (‘The Day I Lost My Youth’), an acoustic-led reflective ballad. Of the hip-hop leaning moments, Peluso spits rhymes like no-one’s business on the fiery ‘LA MENTIRA’ (‘The Lie’) and rides a staccato beat on ‘MANHATTAN’ with Duki.
Peluso is an artist that is consistently pushing boundaries. She isn’t interested in delivering what you expect, keeping her sound fresh and relevant. There’s no doubt that she’s leading the pack in terms of Latin artists right now, and she’s offering something that no other artist in the genre is. Some listeners may find the sonic changes between songs two frenetic, but I think it’s part of her charm. Peluso aims for the skies with ‘GRASA’ and she sticks the landing impressively.
Track listing: 1. CORLEONE 2. APRENDER A AMAR 3. REAL 4. LEGENDARIO 5. ESCALERAS DE METAL 6. TODO ROTO (with CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso) 7. NO LES CREO NADA – SKIT (with C. Tangana) 8. ENVIDIA 9. MENINA (with Lua de Santana) 10. IDEAS RADICALES 11. MANHATTAN (with Duki) 12. EL DÍA QUE PERDÍ MI JUVENTUD (with Blood Orange) 13. LA PRESA 14. LA MENTIRA 15. REMEDIO 16. MAMÁ Record label: 5020 Records / Sony Music Entertainment Release date: 24th May 2024 Buy ‘GRASA’ now
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