If there’s any indication that reggaeton has touched every corner of the globe, then Oddó is it. Chile has been a longtime hotbed for electropop, but Oddó, the country’s newest kid on the block, has cast off mainstream tastes in favor of something a little more in line with the carnal spirit of perreo.
His latest cut, “Nada Por Quebrar,” marks the birth of what I like to call bubblegum reggaeton: irresistible, candy-coated dembow riddims with a chart-topping kick. It’s no surprise that the track is glazed in syrupy pop goodness, since Nicolás Arancibia of Chilean synth quartet Astro co-produced the song with José Ignacio Soto Kallens, the band’s go-to engineer. Oddó manages to sneak in his own pop sensibilities as well, likely a carry over from his days as a member of Francisca Valenzuela’s band, which he played in before he went solo.
In a hushed croon, Oddó laments the loss of a lover, using auto-tune even T-Pain would co-sign. “Ahora mírame directamente a los ojos/Yo tengo el corazón roto/No queda nada por quebrar,” he chirps. Whether or not you think Chilean reggaeton can compete with the genre’s pioneers, Oddó’s arrival is a sign of the rhythm’s crumbling borders. It’s border rebellion you can grind to, and Oddo’s got the soundtrack on deck.
Listen to “Nada Por Quebrar” here:
“Nada Por Quebrar” will be available digitally through Atlas Discos.