Released in 2003 shortly after Soraya mounted a comeback with her self-titled debut for EMI Latin,
Esenciales: The Ultimate Collection is an attempt by her former label, Universal, to cash in on that comeback.
Esenciales lives up to its billing, compiling the highlights from Soraya's three albums for Universal: En Esta Noche, Torre de Marfil, and
Cuerpo y Alma. The packaging is unappealing, granted, but the music is here, making it a worthwhile release. Universal would recompile these songs in subsequent years, so it's worth evaluating your options. There are other, better collections out there, for sure, namely Exitos Eternos and 20th Century Masters. Both were released in 2005, the former a comprehensive best-of with appealing packaging and a bonus video, the latter a budget-line best-of with a fairly good sample of highlights that leaves you hungry for more. Either is a better option than
Esenciales, though you could do worse. ~ Jason Birchmeier