Puerto Rican merenguera Gisselle has been steadily increasing the dosage of pop in her last few albums in preparation of her latest, a full-fledged pop album that seeks to showcase a versatile vocalist. More than versatile, Gisselle can be a vocal powerhouse, as evidenced by “Te Diré lo que Siento,” a sweeping ballad that’s evocative of Celine Dion in its fondness for big, sustained choruses. Inexplicably, only one other track—”Si La Noche te Trajera”—delves into Gisselle’s impressive vocal possibilities. En Alma finds her a more relaxed singer who lets her low, powerful alto loose, but, at times, the disc seems more preoccupied on the material than the singer. There’s a lot of catchy, potential hits here—most of them dance-oriented—some full of over-dubs that downplay the singer’s capabilities. In the end, even though Gisselle—who’s garnered Grammy Award nominations for her merengue material—has taken a huge risk by going entirely pop, it’s obvious she can take that path.—LC
