Pick up the phone…
[Video]
[6.33]
Iain Mew: It makes sense for a group to sing about hurt when they’ve often explored the musical edge between partying and pain, and this is no exception. Everything from the vocals to the ringing telephones is raw and spiky, but they give those elements just enough see-sawing playfulnesss for the sensation to be enjoyably bracing and not to go too far.
[7]
Alfred Soto: The tempo change, signaled by Simón Mejía’s sampled Middle Eastern hook, rubs the ears raw, and Li Saumet is up for the challenge. “Duele” is a Brecht-Weill approximation of hurt, acted with grand gestures and swooping arias.
[6]
Ryo Miyauchi: Catchy as it is, that winding main riff gets a bit too noisy to really feel out Li Saumet’s tale of “should I stay or should I go?” It shouts too obnoxiously for me to draw the melancholy from her situation yet it slightly lacks fluff for it to function like clown make-up for her woes.
[5]
Joshua Minsoo Kim: On Amanecer, Bomba Estéreo further proved their versatility by incorporating a lot of contemporary sounds that probably sounded accessible to the average American. However, I’m not sure they needed to continue down the path of “Soy Yo” and include another loop-based chorus. Granted, the flauta de millo is intrinsically interesting to those unfamiliar with it, but the way it’s utilized here is certainly not.
[5]
Will Adams: It’s not as punchy as most of what was offered on Amanecer, but “Duele” nails the simmering anger behind a breakup. The flauta de millo hook twists and arches, and Saumet rises to match the tension in her own performance.
[6]
Stephen Eisermann: Finding a significant other cheating on you is one of my biggest nightmares. I hate to think about it, but I’m sure I have visualized it more thoroughly than any sane person would and if I am ever ask to describe the scene, I will link this song. Bomba Estéreo have crafted a song as entrancing as it is terrifying — the menacing chorus instrumentation is the stuff of nightmares, but played against the sexy beats of a drum your ears and mind are confused. Combine that with a terrific yet detached vocal and you’ve got one hell of a song.
[9]