Shakira

She Wolf (Sony)

It’s interesting that Shakira’s latest English-language long-player, She Wolf, kicks off with the album’s first single, the wildly erratic French house–inspired title track. Yeah, the cut’s thick synths and booty-poppin’ beats—not to mention the Colombian singer’s adorable awoos—should solidify the song as one of the year’s great club bangers, but starting a pop album with its most marketable tune often hints that someone has little faith in what’s to come. Fortunately, Shakira’s strange sensibilities and giddy vocal ticks are just as enchanting on the rest of this dance-heavy collection.

“Did It Again” keeps the adrenaline pumping with sexy moans and a speedy snap-beat, as the singer chastises herself for falling for yet another bad boy. “Why Wait” also keeps the dance floor hot with its tabla-driven rhythms and Middle Eastern flute loops. Aside from the down-tempo “Gypsy”, this record is designed to make you sweat.

As hypnotically hip-swinging as She Wolf is, Shakira’s lovelorn and often hilarious lyrics steal the show. She frantically searches for a prince in L.A.’s club scene on “Men in This Town”, before admitting that all the good men have been snatched up—including Matt Damon.

While “Mon Amour” reinterprets No Doubt’s “Spiderwebs” as super-sugary ’80s pop, Shakira viciously wishes the worst for her ex on his upcoming trip to Paris with a new lover. “Hope the French fleas eat you alive/And your room smells and the toilet doesn’t flush,” she sneers sinisterly.

Simultaneously bouncy and bizarre—just check out Shakira’s inspired impersonation of a muted trumpet on the slinking funk number “Spy”—She Wolf has enough loco moments to warrant keeping its title track company on iTunes’ top-songs chart. To paraphrase the singer herself, these hits don’t lie.