Album Review: Primer Día de Clases — Mora
By: Elmer Vivas and David Hernández
Mora’s Primer Día de Clases is a meticulously crafted debut album, one where the thematic and sonic elements were cohesively brought together to create a refreshing and nostalgic experience. Even though it took over a year, Mora’s patience and care resulted in a project well worth the wait.
With Primer Día de Clases, rising reggaetón artist Mora formally introduces himself to the genre. Mora began making music with his cousin soon after figuring out that college was not the right step for him. While these songs began as a way to pass time and have fun, from the get-go, Mora posted these tracks on Youtube and Soundcloud. His breakout track was his 2017 single, “Pensabas,” featuring Eladio Carrion, Brray & Joyce Santana. Since then, Mora has continued to develop as a songwriter, producer, and overall artist. He then reached an even broader audience with his feature on Bad Bunny’s 2020 album, YHLQMDLG.
The title Primer Día de Clases has an explicit reference to starting school, but as Mora explained in his interview with Chente Ydrach, the title also implicitly represents Mora’s entry into the genre of reggaetón. Anyone who came across Mora’s Instagram over the past year is aware that Primer Día de Clases has been in the works for at least a year now. Mora would periodically revise his Instagram bio with an updated percentage, corresponding with how far along the album was to completion. However, despite all of Mora’s care, the release date had to be moved forward due to numerous tracks leaking. Consequently, Mora ended up making revisions to the album as late as one week before its release. While we may not hear the tracks that Mora decided to remove (unless we go searching for the leaks), Mora offers us a 16-track project with a clear theme and narrative.
- Primer Día de Clases
“Me sentía dueño del bloque, y tú la sensación”
David: This track introduces the listener to the album’s concept: a nostalgic look back at high school and a love from a different time. Mora keeps it light, playful, and melodic — characteristic of most of the songs to come.
2. La Receta (Juliito)
“La receta original e’ mía, tú ere’ un copycat”
Elmer: This track features Juliito, who rose to prominence through his freestyles and 2020 collaborative EP with Hozwal, El Casti Burlao. Together, Mora and Juliito flex over a trap beat, showing off their pompous lifestyles and making it clear that they rule the classroom.
3. Tuyo
“Baby sueño con tocarte, y lo que queda de mí te lo llevaste”
D: I couldn’t shake Tuyo’s chorus for days after listening to it: “Y ya tú sabe’ que lo mío e’ tuyo, oh-oh-oh. Porque contigo e’ que yo fluyo, oh-oh-oh.” I agree with Mora who anticipates that this will be the most requested song when he’s finally able to safely tour for Primer Día de Clases.
4. Cuándo Será (Lunay)
“Te robo como el lobo a la Caperucita Roja”
E: The first single off of Primer Día de Clases, “Cuándo Será” is an incredibly catchy track, with Lunay’s soothing vocals complimenting Mora’s slightly rougher voice. The song is the complete package: a lively beat, a mix of rapping and singing, and a relatable theme.
5. Volando
“Pero si me llama’ le llego volando”
D: After realizing some of his songs had been leaked, Mora wanted to make sure that the album still came out with some surprises. “Volando” was the last track added in the rush to put his album out with new songs, but it doesn’t sound that way at all. With a new intro and chorus, “Volando” shows us that he can put together a quality song in a few days if he wants to.
6. 512 (Jhay Cortez)
“Échale premium, le gusta la gasolina”
E: As if the feature from Jhay wasn’t enough, “512” is heavily inspired by the reggaetón classic “Pa’ Que Retozen” by legend Tego Calderón. Like always, Jhay Cortez showcases creative lyricism, but Mora holds his own as well, illustrating why he is a collaborator with most of the biggest artists right now.
7. La Carita
“Te lo voy a hacer pa’ que mañana me piense’”
D: The production quality behind this track is next-level. The quality of the sound is owed in part to Súbelo NEO, the production duo behind this song as well as others on the album including “Cuándo Será,” “Te Conocí Perriando,” “Afuego,” “Vacio,” “Fin Del Mundo,” “Desaparecer,” “No Digas Nada,” and “Pégate (Remix).” The producers with the Midas touch that gave us 11 tracks on Bad Bunny’s YHLQMDLG have done it again.
8. ¿Qué Tú Dices? (Omy De Oro)
“Y atento’ que empecé el drill, Iverson en el dos mil”
E: Continuing to expand the album’s sonic landscape, “¿Qué Tú Dices?” is a trap track with yet another Puerto Rican rising artist, Omy de Oro. Hitting on similar themes to those on “La Receta,” Mora and Omy reflect on their come-up and acknowledge that they aren’t supposed to be the same individuals from a few years ago — antes estaban jodidos.
9. Te Conocí Perriando
“Sin ti no tengo nada, aunque lo tenga to’”
D: The sound that introduces you to this track is unforgettable. Twenty-two seconds pass before you hear any vocals, but “Te Conocí Perriando” still managed to leave me hooked since my first listen.
10. Afuego (Mariah Angeliq)
“Parece que me robé La Fórmula de Pina”
E: Mariah elevates this track, as her vocals further augment the song’s smooth production. Mora is also able to slow down his flow, and one of my favorite moments comes in the second half of the song when the flute comes to the foreground.
11. Vacio
“Ya casi ni me conozco, sin ti me siento perdio’”
D: All you really get on this track’s instrumental is a piano, but this is one of those cases where less is more. A beautifully sad homage to love lost. Different from everything else on the album, but in a good way.
12. Fin del Mundo
“Llego hasta el fin del mundo si e’ al lado tuyo”
E: On this gentler, love track, Mora’s singing capabilities are on full display. The intimacy is driven not only by the lyrics, but also by the fact that Mora lowers the volume of his voice and does not allow himself to overpower any of the instrumentals.
13. En Un Avión (Arcángel)
“Yo ante’ no tenía na’ y ahora vivimo’ en un avión”
D: Surprisingly, Mora has been sitting on this collaboration with Arcángel for over a year. Although a huge fan myself, I hate to say that Arcángel’s verse here was borderline corny: “se lo llevé al joyero, me cobró 15 mil — lo que cuesta tu Rolex, niño, vete a dormir.” Either way, working with Arcángel is a rite of passage and something Mora should definitely be proud of.
14. Desaparecer
“Y me hace quererte má’ lo que tengo en el vaso”
E: Here, we find a Mora who, like Bad Bunny, is at women’s merced. Despite trying to be with other women, he finds himself longing for that one person, the one he would disappear with. The only question is, will she actually call back?
15. No Digas Nada (Farruko)
“Y apenas te toqué y ya estabas mojada”
D: Originally released in May of last year, “No Digas Nada” reminds us just how long Mora has been working on Primer Día de Clases. I appreciate Farruko’s throwback to Hector El Father and Zion’s “Mirándonos”: “Tú y yo mirándono’, oh-oh, deseándono’, calentándono’, oh-oh.”
16. Pégate (Remix) [Jhay Cortez]
“No soy Nicky, pero vamo’ a hacer travesura’”
E: “Pégate” was already hit. By bringing Jhay onboard, Mora only ensured that the love track would be considered one of the best of 2020. The two artists clearly work well together (Jhay is the only artist featured twice on the album), and given their individual relationships with Bad Bunny, I now just want a Mora x Jhay Cortez x Bad Bunny song.
Musicólogos Score: 9/10
E: Mora has dropped a gem. The influence of close collaborators Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez is evident in the music, but Mora is simultaneously paving his own path. I absolutely love that the album has a clearly defined concept developed over all the tracks, and close listens will reveal connections between individual songs. He is already striking a balance between working with rising and well-established artists — an excellent indicator that Mora is here to stay and will be a force in the genre.
Rating: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: La Carita, Cuándo Será, Tuyo
Least Favorite Tracks: ¿Qué Tú Dices?
D: For his rookie album, Mora’s Primer Día de Clases is one that I won’t soon forget. I felt genuine nostalgia for simpler times while listening through the tracklist. It’s always so gratifying when an album’s concept transforms the sound into something more. I’ve had my eye on Mora after “Pensabas” and “Una Vez,” but to me this album solidifies him as a rising star. I wouldn’t be surprised if many more artists begin to request Mora features going forward.
Rating: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: Tuyo, Cuándo Será
Least Favorite Tracks: En Un Avión, Afuego
