Guns don't kill people Lazers do

Major Lazer is the dancehall collaboration between Diplo & Switch, and between them those two have some pretty impressive credentials. Diplo and his Mad Decent brand has become the final word in trendy nu world music putting out music from luminaries such as Buraka Som Sistema, DJ Sega, Bonde Do Role, Blaqstarr, South Rakkas Crew… In addition he has produced albums for Santogold and M.I.A, while Switch basically invented the whole Fidget house thing years before it grew into the dirge of boring edits it has now become, also putting his considerable production skills to Santogold's massive 'Creator'. So you might imagine a project involving probably the 2 most creative minds operating in this sphere would be a massive success, and you would be correct, Here's the first single to be lifted from the album featuring Santogold and Mr Lexx on vocal duties. I can't think of any other song that samples the sound of a Nokia vibrating - Big!

Major Lazer feat Santogold & Mr Lexx - Hold The Line

[Rory]

Kuduro

Also on the ghetto pop tip are Portuguese collective Buraka Som Sistema, taking massive cues from Angolan Kuduro, but with more European influences of Techno, Dubstep and 4x4. I remember seeing them in 2007 with crowds of about 20 people really getting into it, at the time it was fresh new and exciting, and for me its lost a little of its sparkle, but I guess that’s no surprise 2 years down the line. Anyway they’re still putting out some serious heat, here’s a couple of recent efforts; a fairly chirpy remix of Swedish vocalist Lykke Li and a remix of Dre Skull and dancehall legend Sizzla

Lykke Li – Dance Dance Dance (Buraka Som Sistema remix)

Dre Skull feat Sizzla - Gone 2 Far (Buraka Som Sistema remix)

[Rory]