Revolucion: Reggaeton | EQ Magazine

I'm no sure how Jamaican dancehall music (a la Shabba Ranks) mutated into the latest Latin dance sensation, but it has. However, while the bedrock rhythms are similar, the Latin approach eschews the ultra-sparse Jamaican flavor, instead favoring lots of synths and effects, bigger sounds, heavy processing, fuller arrangements, and a more lyrical approach.

The 714 files are duplicated as WAV and Apple Loops: there are 299 REX files, as some don't translate well to the REX format. Each construction kit includes a full mix, individual elements, and a folder of drum hits (bonus: load these into a sampler fro some exotic kits). Most tempos range from 90-100 bpm, which simplifies mixing and matching files as your host doesn't have to work hard to stretch them. However, there are quite a few different keys.

The overall patina is electronic and danceable, and the individual files are very useable in other contexts - especially hip-hop and rap (and even dance, as long as the tempos aren't too fast; the parts are fairly busy, and can get cluttered in the 120+ bpm range).

Reggaeton is the latest dance flavor, and Big Fish got on it fast. But that didn't compromise the quality of these samples, which are spot on. If you audition this DVD-ROM or the audio example at www.eqmag.com and don't feel the urge to move your body - see your doctor.