Data (album) explained

Data
Type:studio
Artist:Tainy
Cover:Data - album.jpg
Released:June 29, 2023
Genre:
Length:63:29
Language:Spanish
Label:Neon16
Producer:
  • Tainy
  • Tomoko Ida
  • Carlos Lopez
  • Albert Hype
  • Arca
  • Jota Rosa
  • E.Vax
  • Gibran Alcocer
  • Richie Lopez
  • Lil Baby Grand
  • Skrillex
  • Four Tet
  • Tuiste
  • Mvsis
  • Dela Cruz
  • Jon Leone
Prev Title:Dynasty
Prev Year:2021

Data is the first solo studio album, and second overall including the collaborative album Dynasty (2021), by Puerto Rican record producer and songwriter Tainy. It was released on June 29, 2023, through Tainy's record label Neon16.[2]

A 20-track album, each song features a different singer or musician. Arca, Arcángel, Bad Bunny, Chencho Corleone, Daddy Yankee, E.Vax, Feid, Four Tet, J Balvin, Jhayco, Jowell & Randy, Julieta Venegas, Kany García, Myke Towers, Ozuna, Rauw Alejandro, Sech, Skrillex, The Marías, Wisin & Yandel, Young Miko and Zion, among others, appear as featured artists. Production was handled mainly by Tainy himself, with Tomoko Ida, Carlos Lopez, Albert Hype, Arca, Jota Rosa, E.Vax, Gibran Alcocer, Richie Lopez, Lil Baby Grand, Skrillex, Four Tet, Tuiste, Mvsis, Dela Cruz and Jon Leone, also having production credits.

The album spawned six singles: "", "Sci-Fi", "Obstáculo", "Fantasma | AVC", "La Baby", and "Colmillo". The former single was highly successful, charting in various countries and being certified platinum multiple times in the United States. It also won Best Reggaeton Performance at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

Data debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Latin Albums chart, being his fourth entry on the latter chart. It also reached the top of the Latin Rhythm Albums chart, being his first appearance on the chart since in 2006. In Spain, the album debuted at the top of the chart.

Background

Tainy came to prominence at age 15 when he collaborated in Luny Tunes's album (2006), where he worked with various reggaeton artists such as Wisin & Yandel, Don Omar and Arcángel, among others.[3] During the 2000s, he produced albums like (2007), Daddy Yankee's (2007) and Arcángel's El Fenómeno (2008), furthering his career as a producer within the reggaeton industry.[4]

In 2021, Tainy released his debut studio album Dynasty, a collaborative album with Puerto Rican singer Yandel.[5] The same year, he released "", a collaboration with Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny and Mexican musician Julieta Venegas, the song would eventually become the first single for Data.[6] According to Tainy, the album took around three years to make, with the first ideas for the album coming after a trip to Tulum, Mexico.[7] Most of the recording for the album took place in Miami with additional recording in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, New York, Los Angeles and Kioto. The album consists of several collaborations with reggaeton artists that Tainy had previously worked with such as Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny and Wisin & Yandel, among others, as well as non-reggaeton artists like Julieta Venegas and the Marías, and emerging Latin acts like Young Miko, Álvaro Díaz and Kris Floyd. Tainy said that "Data is a representation of who I am as a person and as a music fan, being able to have my own album is very special, I'm putting my all into this, everything I've learned since I started working with the people I admire".[8]

In 2023, after the released of the album's third single "Obstáculo", Tainy announced the release date for the album.[9] On 16 June 2023, he shared the tracklist via his Instagram. The post showed a tracklist composed of twenty songs including "Colmillo", featuring Colombian singer J Balvin, Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko and Puerto Rican duo Jowell & Randy, as the tenth track.[10] "Colmillo" was discarded from the album, lowering the final number of tracks to nineteen.[11] However, "Colmillo" was later added on the album and released as the 6th single on October 11, 2023, completing the album.

Composition

The album is composed of nineteen tracks, each featuring at least one artist. Some singers make multiple appearances in the album such as Myke Towers ("Obstáculo" and "Pasiempre"), Rauw Alejandro ("Volver" and "Sci-Fi"), Sech ("11 y Once" and "La Baby"), Jhayco ("Pasiempre" and "Fantasma | AVC"), Arcángel ("Pasiempre" and "Me Jodí...") and Bad Bunny ("Mojabi Ghost", "" and "Pasiempre", the latter uncredited). About the collaborations, Tainy said "I wanted to pay homage to some of the first artists who gave me a chance", referring to the artists with whom he worked at the beginning of his career.[12]

Data deals with themes of success, struggle and technology. "Pasiempre" features lines about success within the music industry as well as having a lasting career as an artist. In the song, Arcángel raps the line: "Because I'm not an artist of the moment, I'm an artist forever".[13] In the same song, Bad Bunny, who makes an uncredited appearance, references Tainy's career mentioning his influence in reggaeton music while also giving a shout-out to Nely el Arma Secreta and Luny Tunes, producers that helped bring Tainy into the industry.[4] [14] Similarly, in the opening track "Obstáculo", Myke Towers raps about the struggles in life and the obstacles he had to overcome throughout his career.[9] [4] In the closing track "Sacrificio", which has been called the "most personal song in the album", rapper Xantos talks about the sacrifices one has to do to succeed.[13] [4] Technology makes appearances throughout the album specifically in relation to human connections. In "Fantasma | AVC", Jhayco raps about "getting ghosted in a relationship in which you'd like to go further", while in "En Visto", which can be translated to "On Read", Ozuna sings about the feeling of missing someone and wanting to reconnect with them.[15]

Mainly a reggaeton album, Data explores various genres and musical influences. "Pasiempre", blends hip hop with experimental and electronic sounds towards the end,[16] "Todavía", a minimalistic "classic reggaeton song"[7] [4] and "En Visto", described as "one of the more reggaeton sounding songs of the album".[4] Poppier sounds appear in "Mojabi Ghost", which mixes reggaeton and electro-pop with 80s new wave influences[15] [4] and "Paranormal", a mix of electro-pop and "spacey effects".[4] More electronic songs are "Fantasma | AVC", which contains drum and bass elements[16] and "Volver", which features an EDM beat.[12] Finally, urban influences appear in the R&B-infused "Si Preguntas por Mí"[16] and "Sci-Fi", a fusion of pop, space electronic, and Spanish R&B.[4]

The album also features more slower and atmospheric songs such as "11 y Once", a "heartfelt slow perreo"[4] that features electric guitars and puts enphasis on Sech's voice while also using robotic effects to represent the fusion between technology and human emotions,[16] [15] "mañana", a pop ballad with trap influences,[16] "Me Jodí...", an old school hip-hop song that features "smooth synths and spacey oriental inspired strings"[4] and the stripped "Sacrificio", whose instrumental feature violins and a classical piano.[4]

Concept

The album explores the themes of human connections and technology. Its name comes from the idea of music and songs as informacion that we receive, "data" that shapes the way we are. In response to that, Tainy envisioned the album as a film about a cyborg named Sena who comes to life through songs.[12] [17] Continuing the idea, Tainy has said that the album "serves as a series of uploads that ultimately bring a cyborg named Sena to life".[18] The cover art features Sena, a pink haired android that seems to have come to life, it was designed by Stillz, Elliot Muscat and Hiromasa Ogura, the latter of whom was the art director of Mamoru Oshii's 1995 animated film Ghost in the Shell. Sena also appears in the music video of "" as well as in the cover art for the single.[17] [7]

Promotion

Singles and music videos

The album was supported by five singles, all released in the span of three years. The first single was "", a collaboration with Bad Bunny and Julieta Venegas. Released on 5 October 2021, the song achieved great success becoming one of Tainy's most commercially successful singles.[19] In the United States, the song peaked at number 51 at the Billboard Hot 100 chart, being Tainy's second highest entry in the chart after "Summer of Love" with Shawn Mendes, which peaked at number 48.[20] It also peaked at number 2 at the Hot Latin Songs chart.[21] The song was certified platinum eleven times in the country with over 660,000 certifications units.[22] In Latin America, the song entered the top 10 in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and topped the songs chart in Mexico.[23] In Spain, the song peaked at number five and was certified platinum.[24] A music video for the song was released on 5 October 2021, directed by Bad Bunny's longtine collaborator Stillz.[25]

On 21 July 2022, "Sci-Fi" featuring Rauw Alejandro was released as the second single.[26] Throughout 2023, three singles were released, all with their respective music videos. The third single was "Obstáculo", featuring Myke Towers, released on May 26, followed by "Fantasma | AVC" featuring Jhayco as the fourth single, released on 1 June.[27] [28] The latter song peaked at number 69 in Spain.[29] On 26 June, "La Baby" featuring Daddy Yankee, Feid and Sech was released as the fifth single for the album. Its music video was intended as a "homage to all the incredible women in Latin music", and features singers Bad Gyal, Young Miko, Lali, Becky G, Camila Cabello, Evaluna Montaner, Elena Rose, RaiNao and paopao.[7] [30] On 11 October, "Colmillo" featuring J Balvin, Young Miko, Jowell & Randy was released as the sixth and final single for the album. Its music video was released into two parts, the original and uncensored video that contains the unblurred steamy hentai scene, reminiscent of the visuals for the album. In addition to the music videos for the singles, visualizers for the remaining songs in the album were released and uploaded to Tainy's YouTube account.[4]

Following the release of the album, the track "Mojabi Ghost" peaked at number 57 at the Billboard Hot 100 while "Pasiempre" appeared at number 20 at the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[20] [31] Additionally the tracks "Mojabi Ghost", "Pasiempre" and "La Baby" entered the Hot Latin Songs at numbers 9, 28, 47, respectively.[21]

Reception

Upon release, the album received positive reviews from critics. Writing for Rolling Stone, Julyssa Lopez gave the album four out of five stars commenting that the album "feels like downloading the deepest contents of the super-producer's brain and seeing his creative process directly in front of you", she complimented the concept and collaborations writing that the tracks are "crystalline creations – some club-ready, others full of intrigue and nostalgia – that push a roster of star artists far outside their comfort zone".[32] The Fame Magazine called the album "a tour-de-force that reflects Tainy's deep influence in the music industry"[33] while Billboard described it as a "layered, sophisticated set that yields surprising sounds".[13] Mirangie Alayon from Mor.bo rated the album an 8.3 out of 10, writing that "Although Data would have benefited from a more severe cut to their set list, there's no denying that this album brilliantly reflects Tainy's talents as a producer".[16]

At the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the lead single "" was nominated for Best Urban Song and won Best Reggaeton Performance.[34] It was Tainy's fifth Latin Grammy win as well as his first as a performing artist after winning as a producer and songwriter for albums by Bad Bunny and J Balvin.[35]

On its year-end list, Rolling Stone named Data as the third-best album of 2023.[36]

Commercial performance

In the United States, the album debuted at numbers 35 and 19 at the Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts, respectively. The following week, the album peaked at number 2 at the Top Latin Albums chart and topped the Latin Rhythm Albums chart being his second number-one album in the latter chart after in 2006.[37] The same week, the album debuted at number 11 at the all-genre Billboard 200 chart with 31,000 units sold, being his highest appearance in the chart.[38] [37]

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Year-end charts

2023 year-end chart performance for Data
Chart (2023)Position
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[39] 40
US Top Latin Albums (Billboard)[40] 33
US Latin Rhythm Albums (Billboard)[41] 15

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Data – Tainy. AllMusic. 8 July 2023. July 8, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230708232839/https://www.allmusic.com/album/data-mw0004021972. live.
  2. Web site: DATA. Apple Music. 8 July 2023. July 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230701001404/https://music.apple.com/us/album/data/1692841889. live.
  3. Web site: Shakira y Sanz graban remix con Luny Tunes y Tainy. El Universo. 30 January 2007. 9 July 2023. es. April 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230405210007/https://www.eluniverso.com/2007/01/30/0001/259/792D4CB7AB7A4BA89810BA56C0DE1B22.html/. live.
  4. Web site: REVIEW OF TAINY'S NEWEST ALBUM "DATA"; A WORK OF ART BY A MUSIC GENIUS. The Fame Magazine. Keven. Pimentel. 9 July 2023. July 8, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230708232840/https://www.thefamemag.com/article/review-of-tainys-newest-album-data-a-work-of-art-by-a-music-genius. live.
  5. Web site: Moreno . Laura . 2 July 2021 . Yandel y Tainy presentan el primer tema de su disco 'Dynasty' . 11 February 2023 . Oxigeno . es . February 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230211212638/https://www.oxigeno.fm/2021/yandel-tainy-presentan-primer-tema-album-dynasty-246502.html . live .
  6. Web site: Tainy and Bad Bunny Share Video for New Song With Julieta Venegas: Watch. Pitchfork. Matthew. Ruiz. 5 October 2021. 9 July 2023. June 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230626003554/https://pitchfork.com/news/tainy-and-bad-bunny-share-video-for-new-song-with-julieta-venegas-watch/. live.
  7. Web site: Tainy, sobre su álbum 'DATA': 'Poder expresarme fue increíble'. Los Angeles Times. Berenice. Bautista. 6 July 2023. 9 July 2023. es. July 6, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230706144205/https://www.latimes.com/espanol/entretenimiento/articulo/2023-07-06/tainy-sobre-su-album-data-poder-expresarme-fue-increible. live.
  8. Tainy habla sobre producir éxitos de Bad Bunny, comparte más detalles de su 1er álbum. Billboard. Isabela. Raygoza. 26 December 2022. 9 July 2023. es.
  9. Web site: TAINY ANUNCIA LA FECHA DE SU ÁLBUM DEBUT 'DATA' Y ESTRENA 'OBSTÁCULO' CON MYKE TOWERS. Urban Roosters. 29 May 2023. 9 July 2023. es. June 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230626003554/https://urbanroosters.news/tainy-anuncia-la-fecha-de-su-album-debut-data-y-estrena-obstaculo-con-myke-towers/. live.
  10. Web site: Tainy comparte tracklist de Data. Página Uno. 9 July 2023. es. July 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230711013550/https://paginauno.cl/tainy-comparte-tracklist-de-data/. live.
  11. Web site: J BALVIN ADELANTA SU COLABORACIÓN CON TAINY "COLMILLO". Activate. June 29, 2023. 9 July 2023. es. June 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230629074942/https://www.activate.fm/noticia/j_balvin_presenta_su_colaboracion_con_tainy_en_colmilloo_single_colmillo. live.
  12. Web site: Tainy Talks His Star-Studded Debut Album 'Data,' With Guests From Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee to Skrillex. Variety. Thania. Garcia. 29 June 2023. 9 July 2023. July 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230705184721/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/tainy-data-album-bad-bunny-daddy-yankee-interview-1235652288/. live.
  13. Tainy's 'Data': Billboard Editors Pick Seven Best Songs. Billboard. Leila. Cobo. Griselda. Flores. Isabela. Raygoza. Ingrid. Fajardo. Sigal. Ratner-Arias. Jessica. Roiz. 30 June 2023. 9 July 2023. es.
  14. Web site: Reseña: Tainy /// DATA. Me Hace Ruido. Eduardo. Lara. 4 July 2023. 9 July 2023. es. July 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230711013635/https://www.mehaceruido.com/2023/07/resena-tainy-data/. live.
  15. Web site: Tainy's 'DATA' Track-By-Track: Inside Reggaeton's Most Creative Mind. Los 40. 3 July 2023. 9 July 2023. es. July 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230711013621/https://los40.us/2023/tainys-data-track-by-track-inside-reggaetons-most-creative-mind-4510.html. live.
  16. Web site: Tainy - DATA. MOR.BO. Mirangie. Alayon. 7 July 2023. 9 July 2023. es. July 8, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230708235846/https://ismorbo.com/review-tainy-data/. live.
  17. Tainy anuncia su álbum debut Data, con múltiples colaboraciones. Rolling Stone. Patricia. Guerrero. 16 June 2023. 9 July 2023. es.
  18. Web site: Tainy Details New Album Data Featuring Bad Bunny, Arca, Four Tet, Skrillex, and More. Pitchfork. Madison. Bloom. 15 June 2023. 9 July 2023. June 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230626003548/https://pitchfork.com/news/tainy-details-new-album-data-featuring-bad-bunny-arca-four-tet-skrillex-and-more/. live.
  19. Web site: Lo Siento BB:/ - Single. Apple Music. 9 July 2023. October 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211007143438/https://music.apple.com/us/album/lo-siento-bb-single/1586673102. live.
  20. Tainy Chart History (Billboard Hot 100). Billboard. 9 July 2023.
  21. Tainy Chart History (Hot Latin Songs). Billboard. 9 July 2023.
  22. United States. Tainy. July 10, 2023.
  23. Latin American peaks:
  24. Web site: LO SIENTO BB:/ - Tainy / Bad Bunny / Julieta Venegas. El portal de Música. 9 July 2023. April 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230430130656/https://www.elportaldemusica.es/single/tainy-bad-bunny-julieta-venegas-lo-siento-bb. live.
  25. Web site: Bad Bunny & Julieta Venegas Teamed Up For Tainy's "Lo Siento BB" Music Video. We Are Mitú. Lucas. Vila. 5 October 2021. 9 July 2023. es. December 9, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221209152005/https://wearemitu.com/latidomusic/tainy-lo-siento-bb-video-bad-bunny/. live.
  26. Web site: Sci-Fi - Single. Apple Music. 9 July 2023. March 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230319010222/https://music.apple.com/us/album/sci-fi-single/1631691623. live.
  27. Web site: obstáculo. Apple Music. 9 July 2023. May 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230526044523/https://music.apple.com/us/album/obst%C3%A1culo-single/1689500912. live.
  28. Web site: New Music Drop: Sky Rompiendo, Feid, Myke Towers, Young Miko y más. Telemundo. 2 June 2023. 9 July 2023. es. June 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230603223724/https://www.telemundo.com/entretenimiento/latinx-now-espanol/musica/new-music-drop-sky-rompiendo-feid-myke-towers-young-miko-rcna87474. live.
  29. Web site: FANTASMA / AVC - Tainy / Jhayco. El portal de Música. 9 July 2023. July 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230711013607/https://www.elportaldemusica.es/single/tainy-jhayco-fantasma-avc. live.
  30. Becky G, Camila Cabello y más estrellas protagonizan video 'La Baby' de Tainy, Daddy Yankee, Feid y Sech: Míralo. Billboard. Jessica. Roiz. 26 June 2023. 9 July 2023. es.
  31. Tainy Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100). Billboard. 11 July 2023.
  32. 'Data' is a Journey into Reggaeton's Most Brilliant Mind. Rolling Stone. Julyssa. Lopez. 30 June 2023. 9 July 2023.
  33. Web site: Latin Music Powerhouse Tainy Steps into the Spotlight with Scintillating Debut Studio Album: Data. The Fame Magazine. 9 July 2023. June 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230629164630/https://www.thefamemag.com/article/latin-music-powerhouse-tainy-steps-into-the-spotlight-with-scintillating-debut-studio-album-data. live.
  34. Cobo . Leila . November 17, 2022 . Latin Grammys 2022: Jorge Drexler & Bad Bunny Lead Early Winners (Updating) . 2022-11-18 . . en-US.
  35. Web site: Tainy. Latin Grammy Awards. 9 July 2023. July 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230711013600/https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/widget_iframe.2b2d73daf636805223fb11d48f3e94f7.html?origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latingrammy.com. live.
  36. Web site: The 100 Best Albums of 2023 . . November 30, 2023 . December 1, 2023.
  37. Tainy's 'Data' Surges to No. 2 on Top Latin Albums Chart: 'It's Mind-Blowing'. Billboard. Pamela. Bustios. 7 July 2023. 11 July 2023.
  38. billboardcharts. 1678493807917035534. Debuts on this week's #Billboard200.... 10 July 2023. 11 July 2023.
  39. Web site: Top 100 Albums Yearly. Promusicae. El portal de Música. January 20, 2024.
  40. Web site: Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2023 . December 19, 2023. Billboard .
  41. Web site: Latin Rhythm Albums – Year-End 2023 . December 19, 2023. Billboard .