Album review: "Numero1Uno" by Jan Mercé
After a few scant years withering on the vine, trap has once again surged in Puerto Rico and Latin America (or as Anuel AA succintly proclaimed: “Trap is back!”). While credit for its renaissance can be debated, it’s hard to deny a second wind is happening when stars like Rauw Alejandro and Bad Bunny are highlighting acts such as Young Miko, YOVNGCHIMI and Dei V, and Eladio Carrión is having his best year yet.
But one place where trap’s sound never dissipated was on the ground level, especially in the indie rap scene. Under the leadership of Manny Dreads, San Juan-based Blow Music Studios and its cadre of young shooters have kept the embers glowing with a seemingly nonstop output of fire tracks.
Among that group of regulars is Jan Mercé, who has been hustling in the scene for a few years and recently released his debut EP, Numero1Uno. A longtime collaborator of fellow rappers Erre, Ferrori, and more, the Las Piedras native has long enjoyed a status as a favorite of local fans who gravitate towards his contemplative lyrics and soft voice.
With Numero1Uno, Mercé serves up a mix of songs that not only highlight his strengths but also offers some surprises that display a wider range than he’d previously made listeners privy to. He underlines his cred as a rapper’s rapper with opener “N.1,” which dives headfirst into a subdued boombap beat accompanied by self-reflective bars. As a lyricist he’s been more willing to be earnestly vulnerable than most of his peers, a trait that shows up again in lead single “K aPasa’o” where he plays the role of the lovelorn rapper in a convincing (and catchy) way.
He gets his hands dirty on “305,” a rowdy team-up with rising star Keysokeys who herself lends gravitas to a hard-edged rap tailored to get listeners head boppin’ and mean muggin’. Keys empties the clip with her trademark brash 'tude, backing up Mercé's bouncy flow. It's a long overdue tag team that doesn't disappoint fans of either artist, and immediately cements hope that their paths cross again.
Even more ear-catching are the tracks where Mercé loosens up and gets a bit more sultry. In “Chanel” his boyish voice meshes well with the hi-hat laden R&B melody as he coos and woos the object of his affection, channeling (no pun intended) his inner Romeo (the one from Italy, not The Bronx). The best is left for last though, with lustful trap “Visto Bueno” closing out the album with a showcase of how deftly he can switch up his rhymes from street grit to convincingly seductive. It’s the strongest example yet of his untapped potential, putting a successful cap on a project made to demonstrate exactly that.
It's heartening to be able to bear witness to the musical growth Jan Mercé presents in Numero1Uno. Fans more familiar with his more aggressive and faster-paced tracks like "OverTop" and "BackFlip" will find a more well-rounded artist here, and one who hopefully continues sharing his progress as it continues to develop.
Follow Jan Mercé on Instagram and Spotify, and listen to Numero1Uno here: