Madrid-born Enrique Iglesias started his recording career in the mid-nineties and he found international fame in the Latin pop explosion at the end of that decade. Alongside Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, Iglesias established himself as one of the leading stars of the Latin music movement and his single ‘Bailamos’ took him to number 4 in the UK charts. In 2001 his star rose even higher with number one smash ‘Hero’ and since then, Iglesias has been a firm fixture in the charts here. Seven years have passed since the release of Iglesias’ last album ‘Sex and Love’, and the singer claims that ‘Final’ – a two-part release – will be mark the end of him releasing full bodies of work.
Whether or not that proves to be the case remains to be seen, and there’s no confirmed date for Vol.2, but ‘Final (Vol.1)’ gathers together some of Iglesias’ hits from the past few years and packages them alongside new material. The album features songs in both English and Spanish, and it’s packed with features from the biggest Latin artists out there including Big Bunny, Farruko and Myke Towers. At the time of the album’s release, seven of the 11 tracks have already been released as singles so there’s not a whole lot of new material for fans to sink their teeth into.
The Space Primates track ‘Chasing The Sun’ opens the record and it treads familiar dance pop territory that Iglesias has found success in throughout his career. It’s a feel-good throwaway pop moment that makes you wish summer wasn’t in its end phases. ‘Te Fuiste’ (You Left) featuring Myke Towers switches to Spanish for a reggaeton beat that is dominating the music in the Latin genre right now. It’s very on trend even if it’s not wholly original. ‘Pendejo’ (Stupid) is a self-deprecating Spanish-language song that continues the reggaeton beat of ‘Te Fuiste’, with a slightly slower tempo. The song transports you to a sunny beach as it gently works its way into your brain.
The feel-good vibes are rife throughout the record. The ‘woo-ooo’ refrain on ‘Unwell’ showcases Iglesias’ ability to create songs that you can’t shake out of your head, ‘Me Pase’ (Pass Me) with Farruko is once again dominated by a reggaeton beat but with a little bit of flamenco guitar thrown in for good measure, and ‘Duele el Corazon’ (The Heart Hurts) featuring Wisin covers heartbreak with tropical beats and rhythms. One of the best moments on the record is ‘El Baño’ (The Bathroom) with Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny. The song may have been knocking around for year but the two stars complement each other well.
‘Final (Vol.1)’ isn’t the most cohesive album but that makes sense given that lots of these songs have been floating around for a few years. That having been said, it’s an album that aims for good vibes rather than deep lyrical content or a through narrative. On that front it succeeds and these songs should keep Iglesias’ fans happy until the second volume arrives. I remain sceptical that this is really his last album but time will tell.
![Enrique Iglesias - Final Vol.1](https://publish.entertainment-focus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/final-1024x1024.jpg)
Track listing: 1. Chasing the Sun 2. Te Fuiste (feat. Myke Towers) 3. Pendejo 4. Unwell 5. All About You 6. Me Pase (feat. Farruko) 7. Subeme la Radio (feat. Descemer Bueno & Zion & Lennox) 8. Duele El Corazon (feat. Wisin) 9. El Baño (feat. Bad Bunny) 10. Move To Miami (with Pitbull) 11. El Perdón (Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias) Record label: Sony Music Release date: 17th September 2021 Buy ‘Final (Vol.1)’ now
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