Posted on: November 27, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

I like a lot of rap acts, and I have no problem whether the raps are coming from major or minor label rappers. The one thing I have a problem with is when the band self-censors their own music. While it is hard to tell, it sounds like this happens a few times on the first track of “Ahora O Nunca”, “No Quieren Na”. However, this track is one of the best ways to introduce listeners to NSB’s style. Featuring Shakka, the mixture of the two distinct styles is enough to keep things bouncing, while the back beat is fresh enough to bring individuals unscathed to “Nada De Ti”.

The slower sound of “Nada De Ti” is a shock coming straight from “Ahora O Nunca”, but it provides listeners with a different sound that increases NSB’s range. The mixture of English and Spanish will only mean something for those individuals that are proficient in both languages; for those English-only speakers (like your reviewer), what they are saying sounds nice but I have no clue what the hell they are saying. The guest stars on the tracks during “Ahora O Nunca” are actually smartly placed into the music, instead of just having their star power exploited to push NSB’s sales up further. The flow of this disc is without interruption; NSB are one of the few rap acts that have nothing in the way of skits during this disc, and time in and time out, the act has hits on their hands. There are fifteen tracks on this album, and I could see all of the songs here being released for Spanish radio.

Furthermore, tracks like “Como Te Mueves” could make it big in the English market in the same way that tracks like the new Shakira and Wyclef song did The band’s style is current as can be, and when the act even can succeed when there are Star Trek noises thrown into tracks like the aforementioned “Como Te Mueves”, one knows that they can put money on that act. Rap is usually not the first thing I would choose to listen to, but NSB come up with interesting enough rap to allow me to put this disc on repeat and still be grooving along to the compositions present. I will search out this band in the next few years and see if they are doing the same thing at the same high level of quality that “Ahora O Nunca” was created with.

Top Tracks: Na Noche Mas, Ride Wit Me

Rating: 7.1/10

NSB – Ahora O Nunca / 2005 Dream Sound / 15 Tracks / http://www.dreamsoundrecordsinc.com / Reviewed 02 August 2006

[JMcQ]

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