Angel & Khriz take reggaeton in new direction

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Three years after Angel & Khriz's mega-hit "Ven Bailalo" rode the reggaeton explosion all the way to Europe, the duo is back with a quirky new song for an evolving genre.

"La Vecina," the first single from the Puerto Rican pair's March 11 "Showtime" album on VI/Machete, layers electric and acoustic guitar and trumpets over the familiar reggaeton beat.

Angel & Khriz have been featured on a couple of reggaeton hits since hitting No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart with "Ven Bailalo" in 2005, but their new album represents something of a comeback. The two have toured Spain and Latin America, and parted ways with indie label MVP to join VI/Machete, home to superstars Don Omar and Hector "El Father."

"We were (touring) all these countries and at the same time getting a little bit of each culture," Khriz (aka Christian Colon) says. "With the music we heard, we wanted to make an album that was for everyone. 'La Vecina' is an example of that."

As to what's happened in the years since Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" was a massive crossover hit in 2004-05, Khriz says that reggaeton has firmly established itself as a genre with discerning fans, whether the music is trendy or not.

"Those who make good reggaeton will stand out," he says. "The genre won't die."