Victor Manuelle

Travesia is a joy from start to (almost) finish. Manuelle may not overturn salsa conventions, but apart from the final track he never lapses into predictable sentimentality, even when he goes pop -- songs like "Yo Te Dare," "No Te Dije" and "Contigo" genuinely find their own way in a world of copycats. "No Me Haces Falta" may be the coolest salsa song of 2004.