While pioneers like Natanael Cano and Junior H were at the forefront of bringing corridos tumbados to life, 2023's wholehearted embrace of the genre is something few could have seen coming -- in major part due to the unbelievable viral success of Peso Pluma. The Mexican-born singer, whose vocals move with an almost-drunken drawl, made headlines last year for dethroning Bad Bunny atop Mexican streaming charts, a success that Doble P has since replicated with streaming numbers soaring into the hundreds of millions. On his third studio album, GENESIS, Pluma proves once again why he's spearheading the modern iterations of the genre. Much of GENESIS is the typical Pluma fare, regional Mexican sonics overladen with stories of narcotrafico, luxurious living, and nocturnal romance. Yet some of the album's immediate standouts arrive in moments that break with tradition; the ballad-by-moonlight "LUNA" and breakup anthem "BYE" move more in the vein of an "Ella Baila Sola," shining by adding a softer angle to corridos' typically vaquero narratives. The album's more traditional corridos -- still slightly brighter in tone than those of some of his contemporaries -- come with featured appearances by genre staples like Nata and Luis R Conriquez: "Carnal" hurries dealings with clients over frenetic strings, "Rosa Pastel" deifies the lessons of Amazonian kingpins, and "Su Casa" imagines an army of drones circling overhead in a resilient ode to Jalisco. The contradiction between these two types of narratives always proves a strange tonal balance; the two don't quite sit right next to each other, like siblings ready to give the other a nudge when the silence settles. Colombian vocalist Blessd's appearance comes closest to bridging the gap, with his distinctly smooth reggaetonero vocals acting as a perfect sonic foil to Peso's chaos. Light and dark. While many artists pivot toward popular genres as a springboard for their more "authentic" ideas, Peso proves once again that fame comes through his terms; his refusal to dip into reggaeton, pop, or trap here is admirable, but also expected. GENESIS is not a distinctly original LP -- there's nothing here that's going to blow the genre apart -- but it's a strong body of work to reinforce Doble P's skyrocketing fame. Not that he needs any reassurances. ~ David Crone