Camilo, Mis Manos | Album Review 💿

Colombian singer/songwriter Camilo drops a tight, entertaining, and well-crafted sophomore album with Mis Manos.

Question: Could your album collection use a little spice, specifically some Latin spice? If so, look no further than gifted Colombian singer/songwriter 🎙 Camilo (Camilo Echeverry). The handsome, Medellin musician has written hits for others, first dropping his own album in 2020, the 🏆 Grammy-nominated 💿 Por Primera Vez. Striking while the fire is hot, Echeverry releases his sophomore album, 💿 Mis Manos, 11 months after dropping his first.  The resulting 36-minute affair is incredibly satisfying.

“Millones”

Camilo kicks off Mis Manos in chill fashion with the feel-good ✅ 🎵 “Millones” (“Millions”).   He sings with incredible ease, flaunting a gorgeous, youthful tone.  Adding to the gorgeousness is the overall tuneful nature of the record.  It latches from the first time you hear it. He provides nice contrast on the second verse, incorporating a quicker, more rhythmic melody.  The centerpiece, however, is the chorus, where he considers himself lucky that she wants to be with him as he considers himself imperfect and unworthy of her love and affection.   

“Millones” is a tough act to follow, but ✅ 🎵 “KESI” is easily up to the task.  Many of the characteristics that impressed on “Milliones” also impress on “KESI.”  Great melody, great production, and an elite performance by Camilo.  Echeverry continues to deliver truly beautiful, effortless vocals. Furthermore, the playful nature of song, particularly the pre-chorus and chorus, definitely bode well in its favor.  Unsurprisingly, matters of the heart – L-O-V-E – play a role in the narrative.

“Manos de Tijera”

“It’s no secret / Forgive me for not telling you that I’m not perfect / And now that you are alone, tell me if you miss me just a little.” Ah, the heartbreak, and that’s just an excerpt! On a third straight home run, ✅ 🎵 “Manos de Tijera” (“Scissor hands”), Camilo shows us a different side.  He slackens the pace, opting for a heartfelt, heartbroken ballad.  While the lightheartedness from the opening duo exits, Echeverry shows us his musical versatility.  That marvelous tone he has sucks you right in, particularly when harmonized on the chorus section.  It’s easy to be hypnotized by Echeverry and the aesthetic and vibe he constructs. 

Expectedly, 🎵 “Mareado” (“Dizzy”) another fine cut, picks up the tempo.  Ear catching, the groove, guitars, keyboards, and trumpet easily standout musically, in addition to Echeverry himself.  The chorus is incredibly catchy, followed by infectious “Ay-ay-ay-ay(s)” on the post-chorus.  What exactly is Camilo dizzy from? Being drunk, but not from alcohol.  Can you guess what he’s drunk from? If you answered love – specifically her kiss – you’d be totally correct.   

“Tuyo y Mío”

✅ 🎵 “Tuyo y Mío” (“Yours and Mine”) featuring 🎙 Los Dos Carnales continues the premier listening experience that is Mis Manos.  Here, the groove – lilting compound duple meter or simple triple depending how you hear it – instantly draws your attention.  The music also gets the job done, namely that accordion!  Of course, the stark vocal contrast that Los Dos Carnales brings to the table is pretty sweet. As far as catchiness and tunefulness is concerned, “Tuyo y Mío” doesn’t miss a beat.

Camilo follows up one collaboration with another. On 🎵 “Rolex” he’s joined by 🎙 Mau y Ricky. Deeply into her, Echeverry doesn’t want the kiss to end.  He’s definitely not concerned with the time or other plans. He and Ricky make a crazy assertion for those of us who value money: “I don’t know what time it is / Threw away my watch and it was a Rolex.” Dude – you don’t throw away a Rollie! 

“Machu Picchu”

“I have more ruins than Machu Picchu,” Camila asserts on 🎵 “Machu Picchu” featuring his wife, 🎙 Evaluna Montaner.  He goes on to sing, “I have destroyed a thousand planets with everything I have said.” Wow, Echeverry is has clearly made some mistakes.  The context, of course, is love, with both himself and Evaluna questioning why they fell for one another.  Montaner herself states, “I, who should be locked in a cage / How did I end up next to you in bed?” The two join forces on the chorus, questioning each other’s craziness.  The chemistry is quite strong (they are married, after all), as is the overall premise.

Arguably, the best song from Mis Manos is ✅ 🎵 “Ropa Cara” (“Expensive Clothes”).  This is the definition of a latino urbano/reggaeton banger.  So many things work extremely well here.  There are the playful vocals by Camilo (both sung and spoken), the minimalist production, and of course, the swagger, and drippy vibes, particularly on my favorite chorus of the entire album: “Balenciaga, Gucci, Prada / Balenciaga, Gucci, Prada.”

“Vida de Rico” 

Entering the homestretch of Mis Manos, Camilo continues to shine.  On the cumbia record 🎵 “Vida de Rico” (“Rico’s Life”), he focuses on the simple, important things in life.  He seems to put more value on building a life with his wife, one that is rich but not ‘rich’ in the monetary sense.  The result is a sweet song with a great overall sentiment.  It’s feel-good, groovy, and quite chill.  One final collaboration arrives on Mis Manos with 🎵 “BEBÉ” (“Baby”) featuring 🎙 El Alfa.  Here, the artists lament the end of a relationship. They do a bang-up job of conveying their feelings, asking logical (though illogical ultimately) questions on the chorus, “Tell me why / Tell me why you left… / Why don’t you call me? Don’t you miss me?” 

🎵 “5 pa las 12” concludes the 36-minute album uniquely.  Camilo highlights the incoming new year (2021), presumably looking to better, more promising days.  Also, he wants to ensure he hugs a very important lady in his wife.  This time, it’s not his wife or a previous lover but his mom. 

Final Thoughts 💭 

Ultimately, Camilo drops a tight, entertaining, and well-crafted sophomore album with Mis Manos.  He delivers plenty of pros as both a singer as well as a songwriter.  The hooks are terrific and quite catchy throughout the course of the album.  The production is picturesque and doesn’t merely stick to one particular sound or sub-style or under the Latin pop umbrella.  Mis Manos is incredibly easy on the ears and showcases an artist with a tremendously bright future.

✅ Gems 💎: “Millones,” “KESI,” “Manos de Tijera,” “Tuyo y Mío,” “Ropa Cara”

🎙 Camilo • 💿 Mis Manos • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment US Latin • 🗓 3.5.21

[📷: Sony Music Entertainment US Latin]