One of the many cultural signifiers of the COVID-19 global pandemic and the accompanying quarantines are the innovative ways artists across the spectrum have chosen to communicate with fans. Bad Bunny surprise-released his chart-topping sophomore long-player YHLQMDLG in February, just before the virus spread and necessitated a global shutdown. What no one suspected, however, was that Bad Bunny was just getting started. Arriving on Mothers' Day just three months later is his personal response to life during quarantine, Las Que No Iban a Salir.
Most of these ten tracks were left sitting on a hard drive after being cut during editing from the YHLQMDLG sessions. Other tunes were unfinished, left for a later development that never happened, while still another was recorded during quarantine. While this is not a substandard odds-and-sods collection regardless of unmixed and/or unmastered sounds, neither does it meet the quality standards Bad Bunny's carefully created studio albums do. That's hardly a complaint. Some stone killers appear in this seemingly haphazard set including the hard, punchy "Pa' Romperla" with a coaxed-from- retirement Don Omar. The track falls in line with Bunny's devotion to old-school roots reggaeton that was so prominently showcased on YHLQMDLG. "Bad Con Nicky," with Nicky Jam, reaches back about 20 years to boot, with a popping electro dancehall rhythm and a healthy, telltale sample from Daddy Yankee's "Donde Mi No Vengas." On "Canción con Yandel" -- with Yandel of course -- the pair indulge in a lament for failed relationships with requisite warmth and the kind of revisionist thinking that usually accompanies these kinds of travails. In "Benediciones," Bunny's easy trap offers gratitude for his life even as it claps back at his detractors with kindness and offers empathy for those adversely affected by the prolonged quarantine. "Ronca Freestyle" is a loopy, noir-ish reggaeton-cum-trap jam in which Bad Bunny humorously details the weight of his influence and name drops the retired Chicago Cubs hard-hitting right fielder Sammy Sosa. Set closer "En Casita" was recorded during quarantine with girlfriend-turned-full collaborator Gabriela Berlingeri. While the easy, summery groove is cheerful, this is a sad track as Bad Bunny and Gabriela proclaim the continued need for social distancing, regardless of the emotional toll it can take on relationships. Ultimately, Las Que No Iban a Salir is more a mixtape than a proper third album; and as such, it works. It offers snippets and full-scale portraits of Bad Bunny in process, all the while showcasing his curatorial skills and providing thoroughly enjoyable performances.