Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Calvin Ryan – Cartagena Crazy (2022)

Through the upbeat and energetic sound of ‘Cartagena Crazy’, Calvin Ryan uses his bilingual skills to tell a catchy love song. Tapping into his own summer romance during a trip to Colombia, he unleashes his emotions and transports you to warm summer days spent with someone you are falling for. Packed with fantastic imagery and a charming story, the single hits you with serious Latin pop rhythms.

The single came to life on the plane ride back from his trip to Colombia as he dealt with the heartache of leaving Cartagena and his lady friend behind. Over the past two years, Ryan has been honing his melting pot sound as he fuses addictive beats to rhythmic rap and wrapped them in English and Spanish vocals. This year has been an ambitious one for him as he has been consistently releasing singles every 4 to 6 weeks.



‘Cartagena Crazy’ has a really chill opening that fills your senses with the rich colours of sunset. The deep reds and oranges of the sun stream across the sky, bringing a beautiful vibe to the track. While the opening melody brings this picturesque imagery to your brain, the music gains a shiver of hip-hop through the beats. These beats have you bopping to their sound while a richer Latin pop sound flows over them. The layering of the music is fantastic and really showcases the fusion of sounds that Ryan has been honing for the last few years. As the single continues, you can hear the touches of pop hitting infectious hip-hop beats that are sure to get you moving. The electronic edging of the music adds a unique flair to the sound.

The fusion of melody is picked up by Ryan’s vocals which have an autotune feeling to them. His vocals have an authenticity that lets you know the emotions he has infused into each word are true and sincere. Through the lyrics, he brings the happiness he felt with his lady friend, delves into the fun they had and expresses his sadness at having to leave. He has perfectly captured every aspect of a summer romance, from the initial connection to the fun and passion experienced, to the end where you are happy for the experience, while sad that it has to end. All of this has been packaged into a vocal delivery that bounces off the beats of the music and hits with a really melodic rap flow.

Through the warm imagery and storytelling flows of ‘Cartagena Crazy’, Calvin Ryan draws us into the passion, fun and sadness of a summer romance. The melody paints a picture of rich colours with a chill vibe that flows into a shiver of hip-hop beats. Using a light dose of autotune, the vocals bring the fusion sound of his music to an authentic tale of emotion.

Find out more about Calvin Ryan on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.