John Beltran

In Full Color is John Beltran’s sixth album and to say that the Latin vibe is in full effect on the album is putting it lightly. Each track on this release runs the gamut from the acoustic guitar-laded "She Is” to the Congo-fuelled deep house track "Rain in Shibuya” to the sure-to-be Latin house classic tune "Kissed by the Sun.” On "Starlight Memories” Beltran pairs up producer Andreas Saag and vocalist Elsa Hedberg on an alluringly enchanting tune reminiscent of Mark De Clive-Lowe and Shirley Horn’s "Return to Paradise” remix. Figuratively speaking and apropos the title, there’s a lot of colour on this album, which makes this a refreshing listening experience. While admittedly it’s a tad played to use the phrase "keeping it real,” what Beltran has laid down on this recording is the essence of just that. Easily one of the best Latin house albums of the year.