La Mente Maestra – Wisin y Yandel

The third in a series of various-artists albums featuring the roster of WY Records, Wisin & Yandel Presentan: La Mente Maestra showcases the lesser-known associates of reggaetón superstars Wisin & Yandel. The roster of associates is slightly different on La Mente Maestra than on its predecessors, Los Vaqueros (2006) and Los Vaqueros Wild Wild Mixes (2007), showcasing vocalists Jayko, Franco "El Gorila," and Gadiel as well as producers Nesty "La Mente Maestra" and Victor "El Nasi." In addition, Tony Dize, Alexis & Fido, and Tico "El Imigrante" show up as featured guests. Relative to its predecessors, La Mente Maestra doesn't offer many thrills over the course of its 48-minute running time. The couple highlights are sequenced early, beginning with the lead single, "Me Estas Tentando," one of only a precious few Wisin & Yandel contributions to La Mente Maestra. Driven by an electro-fashioned beat and graced with a melodic hook, "Me Estas Tentando" is one of Wisin & Yandel's better singles and should do a lot to promote La Mente Maestra upon the album's initial release. Unfortunately, the only other clear highlight is the subsequent song, "Sex," a solo showcase for Jayko that is strikingly similar in style. This turn toward club-oriented electro productions and R&B-leaning melodies served Wisin & Yandel well in the past, as "Noche de Sexo" and "Sexy Movimiento" in particular come to mind. Both of those songs were produced by Nesty "La Mente Maestra" and Victor "El Nasi," whose talents are on vivid display throughout La Mente Maestra (hence the album's title, a nod to Nesty, whose longstanding alliance with Wisin & Yandel was evidently valued enough to earn him such billing). In fact, once the album-opening highlights pass, the production work of Nesty and Victor becomes the most interesting aspect of La Mente Maestra -- the Alexis & Fido feature, "Superheroe," standing out above all -- as they push reggaetón in new directions stylistically, toward American R&B and European dance in particular. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide