"This album is for the dreamers," says Puerto Rican producer and songwriter Danny Flores. "It's for all those who came to the U.S. looking for a better tomorrow."
Flores is talking about the slick, kaleidoscopic tracks that make up WILD AMERICANOS, the seductively brief, semi-conceptual album he recorded with fellow boricua singer/songwriter Jean Rodriguez under the moniker COASTCITY.
Trying to pigeonhole COASTCITY could lead you to miss out on one of the most sophisticated releases of the year. WILD AMERICANOS is the duo's third album, but its gorgeous production values and self-assured songwriting hints at a rich musical past — no coincidence for the pair, who have each made a name for themselves within the Latin music industry.
A keyboardist and producer by trade, Flores has been the musical director for artists such as CNCO, Prince Royce and YENDRY. Rodriguez has produced for Christina Aguilera, Karol G and The Weeknd; he's also seen success as a singer in his own right, touring with Marc Anthony and serving as Beyoncé's Spanish coach on the remix of J Balvin's 2017 smash "Mi Gente."
In 2014, Rodriguez recruited Flores to produce his third solo album. Their remarkable musical chemistry inspired them to turn the collaboration into a joint project, borrowing the name COASTCITY from the title of a song they had been working on together.
The pair made a splash in 2018 with their self-titled debut, which earned a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Urban Music Album in 2018 and a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album in 2019. The project also spawned their biggest hit to date, the single "Pá La Calle," a collaboration with Luis Fonsi, who has a special connection to the group (more on that, later).
In Rodriguez's eyes, the word "wild" in the album title refers to the notion of being untamed and stylistically rebellious. "We are Latinos, but also feel comfortable doing other genres that feel completely authentic to us like R&B, funk and alternative rock," he says. "Because we grew up in Puerto Rico, lots of people believe that we play reggaetón.
"We like reggaetón and work regularly with many of those artists as well — but it's not the music that flows naturally from us," Rodriguez continues. "This wild card of an album is for people not to feel that they have to be boxed into whatever society expects of them. Even though you may be from a certain place, if you feel you can perform a musical genre, then you can do it — that's what we wanted to prove with this album. It's all about two Puerto Rican kids doing some amazing R&B together."
From the funky groove and retro touches of "FACTS" to the aching vulnerability of the R&B ballad "SKYFALL" and the cooler-than-cool '90s vibe of the bilingual title track, the multi-layered sounds of WILD AMERICANOS is hard to pin down. The album achieves the rare feat of sounding tight and focused, but at the same time borrowing from an exhilarating mosaic of disparate sonic influences.
There is very little about WILD AMERICANOS that brings to mind the sheen of mainstream Latin music. This is even more remarkable when you consider that Rodriguez's older brother is none other than Luis Fonsi, one of the biggest pop stars Puerto Rico has ever known.
"That song 'Despacito' is terrible," jokes Flores, as both men howl with laughter when I ask about the inevitable Fonsi connection. While Rodriguez admits that having a major music star as an older brother poses its challenges, Fonsi's ascent has always inspired him.
"You'd be surprised how many people think that's our last name and refer to me as Jean Fonsi," Rodriguez adds with a laugh. "My brother deserves all the success he's had because I saw firsthand how hard he works. He's extremely smart about managing his career, and I've learned from that. I do respect that he gives me the space to be able to shine. Obviously our music sounds nothing like his."
Perhaps what separates COASTCITY from the competition is its obsessive preoccupation with the way the music sounds. There's plenty of intricacies across WILD AMERICANOS, from subtle keyboard effects on "DAYTONA" to the compression on vocal lines of "PURPLE & PRINCE," or the textural approach to drum loops and synth patches on "SKYFALL."
"You can tell so many stories with sound," Flores says. "You can set up an energy [and] a vibe, mess with people's emotions, [or] transport them to a different place."
He mentions the bridge of the track "WILD AMERICANOS" as an example — its cinematic collage of random spoken voices enveloped in a cushion of lush keyboard sounds just before the chorus returns. "It literally comes out of nowhere," he smiles, "and then takes you to another planet."
"The sound of what we do signifies the very foundation of this project," Rodriguez expands. "Danny and I were so involved in the music industry, but we still wanted to fill this void. We weren't following any trends or trying to fit in. This was a passion project and we had no idea where it was heading. It started with one little song that knocked down some walls. That was the initial motion that pushed us to create beautiful art without any distractions."
Flores' and Rodriguez's respective musical backgrounds have combined for a multi-layered, complex sonic identity that may hamper the band's chances for major commercial success. But as they celebrate their third release together, they've realized that it’s the music that matters most.
"It's a convo that we have all the time," Rodriguez explains. "Where do we wanna go? How fast do we wanna get there? There are musicians who make millions touring. Talent obviously has a lot to do with it, but it's also being at the right place at the right time. Danny and I have a great balance between fulfilling our dreams as artists, but both of us have kids and are very family-oriented. Being able to live those personal moments is also very important to us."
"How interested in commercial success are we? It's a really deep question," Flores adds. "COASTCITY is the place where my calling as a producer and musician is being fulfilled. Do we dream? Absolutely, we want our music to reach as many ears as possible. But that is not what's driving our engines. At the end of the day, we're not chasing dreams — we're working our purpose."