Since the release of 2011's album
La Polinesia Meridional -- a typically sunny-sounding venture that blended '60s pop, disco, 8-bit, Motown,
ELO, and dance pop into a frothy sonic cocktail --
La Casa Azul mastermind Guille Milkyway has kept very busy. He was a judge on a TV singing competition, he did remixes, worked with pop stars, taught production techniques, and generally expanded his profile all over Spain. It took until 2019 for the project to release another album, and 2019's
La Gran Esfera might surprise some fans of earlier albums. While Milkyway's knack for a sunshine-bright melody remains, a lot of the light and breezy goofiness is gone from the sound. While there are a few tracks that have a loopy, discofied sound -- most notably the string-filled and lush "Podría Ser Peor" and the pulsing "Nunca Nadie Pudo Volar" -- there's a more pronounced modern pop influence and a more hard-edged sound overall. "A T A R A X I A" sports a shiny trap beat while Milkyway alternates between near-rapping and a neo-soul croon; "Ivy Mike," too, wraps its lilting melody around a thumping trap beat; and "El Momento" is very good, very slinky modern Latin pop. Elsewhere, a sleek '80s sheen covers the songs: "El Colapso Gravitacional" sounds like a pumped-up
ELO, "Hasta Perder El Control" feels like a modern update on the Miami Vice soundtrack, and "Gran Esfera" closes the album with an uplifting track that adds some odd easy listening accents to the radio pop sound. The modern touches are a little jarring at first, but a couple of things make the transition work in Milkyway's favor. The guy can still write a hooky pop song like few others, and most of the songs here are hard to get out of one's mind after a listen or two. He also knows how to produce a record. Even if
La Gran Esfera is not as airy and fun as before, the updated
La Casa Azul is still way more airy and fun than 99 percent of the artists playing the modern pop style. The modernness of it all might scare off a few old fans, but those who stick around (and those who have joined the fan club more recently) will find much to admire and like about this latest installment in Milkyway's ongoing pop odyssey. ~ Tim Sendra