Reggaeton -- a mix of reggae and Latin sounds -- can have its own, fiery flair, but the tracks on
Reggae Thong Thong are straight-up dancehall with little Latin influence beyond being sung in Spanish. The brash and bravado of people like
Elephant Man and
Mad Cobra sound like the main influence, and in this limited way the disc works. Production is noisy and minimal, missing the hypnotic and slick sound of more aboveground reggaeton, but with twice the punch. Don't start here if you're new to reggaeton, but hardcore fans might appreciate this more aggressive tribute to the spirit of Jamaican music. ~ David Jeffries