Having begun to move away from their trapero image in the late 2010s, Puerto Rican duo Gigolo y La Exce started to shape their new identity with their 2020 EP Las Torres, a smooth fusion of trap, reggaeton, and R&B styles. Now, this new dimension -- a realm of hedonistic pursuits and flecks of emotive passion -- comes to life on the pair's debut studio album, 2022's Las II Torres. The duo's sound here is in a stage of transition: there are glossified versions of their trap roots on "Nuevo" and "Doble Filo," balladry in singer/songwriter ("Channel") and Latin pop ("Sexo vs Amor"), and reggaeton caught between the genre's thumping origins ("Coil," "La Patrona") and its melodic new frameworks ("Chantaje," "Sativa"). Refreshingly, Gigolo y La Exce don't seem to be chancing their way toward a radio hit, but rather building the groundwork for a career well into the 2020s; this is a duo reconfiguring where their unique voices best fit in the Latin zeitgeist.
Of these new ideas, the melodic ones land most consistently. The Juhn-assisted "Playlist" puts a fun spin on the genre's often overplayed raunchiness, while "Sativa" and "Sexo vs Amor" hit a perfect connection between R&B and reggaeton elements. In one of the album's standout moments, "Chantaje" creates a smooth gradient between its vocalists, with La Exce playing middleman between the raw melody of Jay Wheeler and Gigolo's whispered, cloudy tones.
Some of the project's other ideas find less steady success. While "Te Supere" looks to replicate the karaoke-like success of Bad Bunny's "Si Veo a Tu Mamá," a subpar hook and undercooked production unfortunately render it forgettable. The hooks on "La Patrona," "Nuevo," and 'Hielo" seem equally out of sync with the songs' production -- the latter's inclusion, especially in place of already-released Arcángel link-up "Insegura," is confusing indeed. Nonetheless, the down-and-dirty "Coil," a sonic successor to the 2019 hit "Rasta Barbie," arrives as a clear pinnacle of the project; the duo slink onto the dancefloor with the assistance of Rafa Pabön and Brray, and the four vocalists deftly slip in and out of the pockets of Yama's sultry production. Las II Torres begins Gigolo y La Exce's venture into a new catalog of sounds -- and while this one veers between peaks and troughs, the threads could prove the foundations of a compelling new style for the duo. Here's hoping that some of this project's more adventurous B-sides may soon see an official release.