Soy el Mismo

Coming off a hits collection and moving on to a new label with this 2013 release, young bachatero Prince Royce skillfully becomes a mature crossover artist on Soy el Mismo, effortlessly mixing slick pop tracks with solid bachata. Any over-anxious pop moments experienced on his earlier efforts are wiped away once the commanding club track, "Already Missing You" with Selena Gomez, hits the speakers, as the tune is his most comfortable crossover moment to date, combining lustful yearning, EDM breakdowns, and a daring ending that leaves the listener -- like the song's hero -- hanging. Balance that with the more traditional bachata cut "Darte un Beso," and the album has a highlight from both sides of Royce's wide reach with "You Are Fire" being the surprise, mostly acoustic ballad. ~ David Jeffries