Luny Tunes

by Jason BirchmeierLuny Tunes were reggaetons first major hitmaking production team, cranking out an assembly line of hit singles, club anthems, and CD mixtapes, all the while collaborating with many of the styles top vocalists. Comprised of Francisco Saldaña (aka Luny; born June 23, 1979) and Víctor Cabrera (aka Tunes; born April 12, 1981), Luny Tunes were given their big break by DJ Nelson, a reggaeton pioneer who recognized their production talents, which had been well showcased on Hector & Titos A La Reconquista (2002), and signed them to his Flow Music label. Luny Tunes in turn made their major-label debut, alongside another promising young production talent, Noriega, on Mas Flow (2003). The CD mixtape featured most of reggaetons top vocalists of the time (Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderón, Wisin & Yandel, Hector & Tito, Zion & Lennox, Baby Ranks, Nicky Jam, Trebol Clan, et al.) and firmly established the duo as a go-to production team. The following year Luny Tunes continued to further their reputation, establishing themselves as bona fide hitmakers when Gasolina, one of their numerous productions featured on Daddy Yankees Barrio Fino (2004), became a worldwide hit and club anthem. In addition to Barrio Fino, Luny Tunes also contributed productions to acclaimed albums by Don Omar (The Last Don, 2003) and Tego Calderón (El Abayarde, 2003), as well as albums by Eddie Dee (12 Discipulos, 2004), Ivy Queen (Diva, 2004), Zion & Lennox (Motivando a la Yal, 2004), Nicky Jam (Vida Escante, 2004), and Trebol Clan (Los Bacatranes, 2004) — all of this within a two-year span. In 2005, Luny Tunes released Mas Flow, Vol. 2, their first all-new album since the previous volume, and in 2006 they released a third, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, along with a second compilation of previously released material, Reggaeton Hits, which had been preceded by a prior best-of collection, La Trayectoria (2004). The next mixtape dropped in 2007, Los Benjamins: La Continuacion, not long after the duos second volume in the Kings of the Beats instrumental series. By this point, Luny Tunes were employing various assistant producers (Tainy, Jose M. Gomez, Nely, Los Presidents, Mr. G, et al.), who were employed as part of the Mas Flow Inc. production factory.