El Viaje

Luis Fonsi changed the game for Latin pop with the worldwide sensation “Despacito,” a sleek 2017 collaboration with Daddy Yankee and, later, Justin Bieber that became utterly inescapable. Beyond opening doors for countless artists with his single’s massive success, the Puerto Rican singer reaffirmed what fans already knew from a two-decade-long discography. The aural travelogue El Viaje seems to speak directly to those who’ve been following his career’s trajectory, while welcoming the relative newcomers to his catalog. A master balladeer, he kicks off the album with the Laura Pausini duet “Roma.” That sets the proverbial stage for a whirlwind escapade across continents, touching on the tropical vibes of “La Romana” and the synth-driven thump of “México.” His collaborations here similarly shine, be they with Carlos Vives on the rock-centric “Santa Marta” or with Jay Wheeler on the homecoming “San Juan.”