The name OV7 is synonymous with pop music in the early 2000s and Kalimba helped put the pop group on the charts with a soul only he could add to the music world and this was something that he knew. He left the group in 2003, which was when the group as a whole decided to disband. Kalimba knew that he could easily have a career of his own and this star rose with the success of his debut album, Aerosoul.
Kalimba embraces his own style with music in a Spanglish album, showing that he has the ability to reach more than his Mexican homeland. His style with Aerosoul reminds me of an early Justin Timberlake where they bring pop music to the next level. He brings in female backup singers who would go on to become stars in their own right. The duo, Ha-Ash join him for the song, “Llevate” at the time they were releasing their first album. Natalia Lafourcade provides wonderful female vocals to the song “Dia De Suerte” and she had just released her album that previous year. It would take many more years for the name Maria Barracuda to jump on the scene. Even though she released an album of her own in 2004, she wouldn’t become well known until JotDog comes on the scene in 2009.
Kalimba gives us a great balance of ballads and an upbeat pop track to complete the album of twelve songs, some of which are some of the best songs in Latin pop history. Kalimba’s “Lat’n Party” describes his music in a nutshell. Kalimba is a party with his style of pop with soul, that was breaking the US pop charts at the time. There was nothing that Kalimba didn’t give us on this album; though my one complaint is the song “Llorar Duele Mas.”
Kalimba’s other ballads were so very powerful with solid music to go along with it. “Llorar Duele Mas” feels like it belonged on a different album, not in the middle of a pop album. It lacked the musical attention this album has. The album is infused with funk, soul, rock and R&B to g
The album is infused with funk, soul, rock, and R&B and ultimately comes off as a great first debut album for the Ex-member of OV7.
Since that day, I have been study Latin pop and rock music and have become a Latin pop music historian through the publishing of articles, fanzine, and websites. My goal is to teach people about Latin pop music and the history behind it with my website, Siempre En Domingo.
- REVIEW: Los Claxons – Caminando En Fuego (2022) - November 6, 2022
- Review: Airbag – Siempre Tropical (2022) - November 6, 2022
- Debut: Thalia – Psycho Bitch - November 6, 2022