major lazer: c/d?

so i stopped buying "biggest ragga dancehall anthems" and "ragga ragga ragga" after 2005 ... but is this shit legit?

Major Lazer is musical group made up of DJs Diplo and Switch, with a fictional backstory that Major Lazer is a Jamaican commando who lost his arm in a secret zombie war in 1984.[1] He supposedly fights vampires and various monsters, parties hard, and has a rocket powered skateboard.

I wonder which of them runs the twitter

yes but is the shit legit?

one track on the single is ward 21 voicing marc houle's 'bay of figs'

"hold the line" is balls but some of the other stuff is pretty good

that shit is legit, but sadly not on the album :-(

re: ward 21 / bay of figs

i fuck w this

http://hypem.com/track/839402/Major+Lazer-Cash+Flow+feat.+Jahdan+Blakkam

the omm review made me wary of too much santogold.

Considering I've been repping so heavily for the Toddla T record it'd be churlish not to give this a go but I'm kind of put off by all that Dan The Automator-esque sci-fi wackiness.

Bold choice to hold that against this in the same half-year that N.A.S.A also release an album and tour the world

Yeah but the NASA album is awful!

lol yeah surely that's just another reason to think this album might be terrible?

the promo emails about this are so annoying ive sworn to never listen to it

I don't find the sci-fi wackiness all that noticeable on the record, but then I'd never heard the wacky fictional backstory until now. Can't Stop Now w/ Jovi Rockwell and Mr Vegas is really nice and old-sounding - it's simple and sweet, definitely jumps out from the rest of the record.

I can see how Hold The Line would grate on some, what the surf guitar/spaghetti western thing and all, but I liked a lot when I first heard - maybe less so the more I hear it. There's a nice Madhouse records remake of it called Call Mi that pulls the gimmickry down a bit.

Anyway - maybe overhyped but a fun summer record if that kind of thing doesn't bother you - but like the initial poster I kind of let my annual dancehall compilation purchases slide a few years ago. I'm in no position to say if its "legit" or authentic or real or whatever - it's basically Diplo makes a dancehall record, so it depends on how you feel about that, I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ1vLEbnPzI

lol yeah surely that's just another reason to think this album might be terrible?

^ that, but less - ie surely the density of sci-fi wackiness on NASA should be drawing all free-floating sci-fi-wackiness-hating in the universe into it's orbit, leaving none to direct at Major Lazer

was expecting this to be great but it's pretty underwhelming. saw theem last night and it didn't really change my opinion

I can't get past the mispelling of the acronym, really.

Reading through pitchfork today and seeing the not too shabby reviews piqued my interest.
While I wasn't too fond of the Nina Sky collab the first time I heard it, on second listen it's starting to grow on me, I believe Nina Sky might just be my favorite mainstream vocalists.

the joint with ricky blaze is awesome, but then again all joints with ricky blaze are awesome

They nicked that autotuned baby off this Ivorian dude.

lol

REALLY enjoying this album, against all odds (i generally hate anything diplo is involved in, though i love switch to death)

got much love for keep it goin' louder. such a jam. do agree with pitchfork tho' that by the end of the year it'll pretty much be forgotten. song feels almost entirely of the moment.

ian maxwell, why do you have my name

your last name better not be j0hns0n or there will be hell to pay.

btw when i hear the name major lazer, i can't help but think of early DOS shareware game MAJOR STRYKER.
http://www.3drealms.com/stryker/images/stryker3.png

Totally fun stupid summer jamz, to the extent that I even kinda get a kick out of the Mary Jane track even though I normally hate hate hate pot anthems.

But there's been a general dearth of awesome stupid fun music in my life and this fills a niche.

one track on the single is ward 21 voicing marc houle's 'bay of figs'

wow

your last name better not be j0hns0n or there will be hell to pay.

― ian, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 19:28 (Yesterday) Bookmark

naw mayne it's maxwell. hella betta name

joekzzz

i wish that ward 21 / houle track were on the album

LOVE this album, although haven't spent much time with the slower tracks. "Pon De Floor" is a serious floor-filler. Bummed the album doesn't include "Zumbi" with Andy Milonakis which is CLASSIC.

havent heard the album but imho theres nothing abt the ricky blaze song that isnt dope about his other songs & really "i feel free" should be the 9/10 pfork track & this is like ... i dunno its so all over the place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Qmx_GyK44

vs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsbAm83eyiM

vs

http://www.imeem.com/mysteryfrommow/music/vIsVK9hw/ricky-blaze-ms-shelly-let-it-fall-fumg-prod-2k8/

this ricky stuff is diff tho, way more influenced by american pop, i could see how someone would prefer the major lazer joint

i kind of love the major lazer song, i just think it kind of marginalizes ricky too much for my taste. really reduces him to akon jr and altho he sounds great he's much more talented than that

pretty much love this album

i like what i've heard, fun summer dancehall is fun

y

"Keep it goin louder" is very much the jam

OMG THE NEW VIDEO

http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/musicvideo/3736-major-lazer-pon-de-floor-downtown

^^ shit is legit

so after watching a little of half of that I'm starting to think that Jon Lithgow's character in "Footloose" might have had a point

wau

(will watch full thing at home)

also this one track makes me want to buy this, regardless of how offended I was by the twitter/that one incredibly stupid interview I read a few weeks ago

i haven't seen footloose so please explain

also you should buy it, it's grate

Lithgow's character is a Baptist minister who forbids dancing as being riddled with sin.

o rly

yes, he may have a point

okay I am not gonna front, this is fucking incredible

r.i.p. jamaica

this may be the funniest music video ever made

i dunno, that recent flying lotus video was pretty amazing

in the funny stakes, i mean.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3647868547763969984

uh...same director?

also that is really ruining that track for me

don't be such a prude, mannion

lol I just made it to the flying leaps (strategic video watching to prevent getting fired)

fire pon rome, fire pon philly

okay I just played "When You Hear The Bassline" on Last.fm and I have to fucking get this now

that video is hilarious but this album continues to suck and be disappointing

not gonna lie, the beefed-up beat here is hotter than the recorded version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkhhwkwmltI

search youtube for daggering :
same mad dancing, but live and way better music....

that surf guitar sounding one sounded really good when i was out the other nite

uh...same director?

― unban dictionary (blueski), Monday, August 3, 2009 12:14 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

Diplo wills stealz yo ideaz. But yeah-seems so does it not?

no-one mentioned that Keep It Goin' Louder samples Olive's 'You're Not Alone' (tho not enough ha)

that track is straight up BEP tho

ok hot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ43kBzBRfk&feature=related

aw where's luda

haha a valid and very pertinent question

btw the SXSW link upthread reminded me of "Trompeta" which is also stompin awesome

Listening to the album pretty much non stop at the moment.

Not sure why anyone should care about this pretty mediocre album when you can buy all 14 excellent volumes of Just Ragga for the same price.

14 volumes for the price of 1 CD? Where is this offer?

Looks like it's now 3 CDs (they used to $1 and $2), but here.

Here's me muttering (mostly to myself) about them:

Dancehall recommendations...

Certainly bow to yr greater knowledge here Alex - especially as I haven't listened to much ragga in a while, apart from old Cutty Ranks stuff - but there is something indefinable that I specifically like about this album tho. Wait, will try to define - it's something to do with the sound, it feels slightly muted and abstract, with lots of things popping in and out of the mix in an abstract feeling way.

I just like that it's total garbage-pail appropriation mixed in with traditional white-boy club sensibilities.

Hi Dere said it better.

And Harry Todler really is the best name ever.

If you want white-boy club sensibilities you should hear Tony Curtis' cover of George Michael's "Faith" (on the FAITH riddim!) on Vol 13, Dan! Seriously real dancehall out appropriates (and out ironies) fake dancehall by a huge margin.

Anyway I don't want to get all "LISTEN TO THE REAL THING, PEOPLE" cuz I like plenty of stuff that's decidedly not the real thing and I hate stupid authenticity debates, but this is one of those cases where I just don't get the love.

'when you hear the bassline' is one of my most favourite trax this year. reasons i love this are pretty much the same reasons i loved basement jaxx 'jump n' shout' 10 years ago tho...

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/1967/majorlazerdaggering.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBcd5aj_YhI&feature=player_embedded

uh

Pandaggering:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssNPnZwCVJk

"dancehall" + rave synths = biggest dud of 2009

that Keep It Goin Louder is very bad, there's another more bearable one

video i mean

"Pon De Gossip" as linked upthread is still hot like fire

god, The Streets remix of Pon De Floor is like, what was the fucking point?

assume I made the obvious-esp.-from-me strikethrough joke here

are they good live?

and do they only play their own songs or also incorporate some kind of dj set?

blog-dancehall for white hipsters yay.

lol hipsters treated!!

white hipsters violating the dignity ofta pure dancehall.

posted this on html board too by mistake

DIPLO " RIDDIMENTARY "

Thomas Wesley Pentz aka Diplo – one half of the production team behind the popular hybrid reggae project Major Lazer lends his eclectic ear and considerable talents as a reggae selector to Riddimentary, a guided tour through 15 classic tracks from the Greensleeves reggae catalogue. The continuous blended mix covers twenty plus years of cutting edge, Jamaican and UK hits from the top producers in dub, reggae and dancehall from the 1980’s & 90’s. The retro flavor and historical context of these selections shines a light on Diplo’s production influences and expert knowledge of the reggae genre. For new converts to reggae or collectors of crucial tracks from reggae’s classic era, Riddimentary is rudimentary.

Track Listing:

1. Who Is The Ruler – Alpha & Omega
2. Jacqueline – Hugh Mundell
3. Joker Smoker – Tristan Palma
4. Police In Helicopter – John Holt
5. Eventide Fire A Disaster – Barrington Levy & General Echo
6. Satta Amassa Gana Version – Joe Gibbs
7. Fattie Boom Boom – Rankin Dread
8. Anarexol – Eek-A-Mouse
9. Gunshot Mek Daughter Drop – Lone Ranger
10. Sweet Sweet Matilda – Clint Eastwood & General Saint
11. Interface – Prince Jammy
12. Night Nurse – Gregory Isaacs
13. Telephone Love – JC Lodge
14. Water Pumping – Johnny Osbourne
15. Survival – Prince Far I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ43kBzBRfk&feature=related

hot

hahaha yes I like it enough to repost it to a thread where I already appreciated it

Holy shit that mash up is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TYEgFfFdUY

The mash-ups work so much better than the straight dancehall voicings.

Very much the opposite imo. That's pretty much terrible compared to both the original tracks.

I found most of the dancehall acts on the original album (with the exception of Dr Evil and Ricky Blaze, who are vocally quite mannered) sounded constrained by the production. Perhaps it's because mash-ups are inherently constrained, or the people doing them are used to working within those constraints, that they end up feeling a little more natural for me.

terrible mashps. beyonces version of pon de floor is cool but id rather 15 diff dancehall artists do it over rather than her.

In theory, i'd agree but when you've had Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, Elephant Man and Sean Paul have a go, and not be able to do anything with it, i'm not sure who will.

the original works because Vybz stays out of the beat's way

http://i.imgur.com/iA2YB.jpg

yeah "pon de floor" is still the end of music video

if you like it you have to check out "Dance Floor Dale"

so, i have never enjoyed dancehall styled reggae, and so avoided this album.
however, my teenkid has just bought this, so i had to add it to my archive, and damn, its a lot of fun.
yeah i know the reasons to hate ..
but hey, i care not.

someone played "Mary Jane" the other day and holy hell was it obnoxious. it's like they just laid on the irritating button for 3 damn minutes. dud as hell

haha !
and to be fair, that's exactly what i expected ..
and yes, there are times like that on the album, but i cant deny i have really enjoyed its full on sonic chaos.

http://open.spotify.com/album/428vKProcBsXNC3FMpJUAS

after dipping into their last release and discovering an overflowing reservoir of DO NOT WANT, I'm three songs into this EP and it appears to be incredible

make that four tracks

still disappointed that the people in the "pon de floor" video weren't actually Major Lazer

Aerosol Can is sick.

yeah, teen kid has bought the new ep.

however, i cant 'borrow' it as he is an itunes freakoid.

(and and he agrees with djp that its ace .. )

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/145297/major-lazer-s-lean-on-becomes-the-first-song-relea

MAJOR LAZER’s global hit “Lean On,” with DJ SNAKE featuring MØ, which is #1 at Top 40 radio. “Lean On” is the first ever song released by an artist-owned and operated independent label to reach #1 on the Top 40 chart in MEDIABASE history. - See more at: http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/145297/major-lazer-s-lean-on-becomes-the-first-song-relea#sthash.VfdJJxMT.dpuf

Eh, its ok

Only a couple of references to that cut elsewhere on ilm (Sharivari likes it; Tim F mentioned it)

Cool song. Video is so weird though

Lean On's one of my songs of the year - the kind of hit I love hearing in the wild.

I'm not sure what Major Lazer's input was, it sounds like a 100% DJ Snake tune tho.

"Lean On" is a great record even tho it sounds like the soundtrack to white girls wearing headdresses and fringe boots

lol true

deej otm

the major later involvement makes sense insofar as it feels part of the same 2015 phenom as the skrillex/diplo/bieber tune (also tropical house obv)

"Lean On" is a great record even tho it sounds like the soundtrack to white girls wearing headdresses and fringe boots

hawt

is this tune in some way more white girl/headdress/fringe boots than other tropical house or is deej building an exit strategy on the low

if u ain't a ho get up out my trophouuuuuuuuse imo tbh

Not more white girl but more headdress certainly. Not sure about fringe boots.

o i c is the headdress like the extra blithe/cynical rrl american cultural appropriation angle

No it's just coz the beat is slower, more kombucha friendly

I mean it's one of the song's appealing qualities IMO

like i think to be a "white girl cultural appropriation anthem" you need to give off a vibe that there's something there to appropriate.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ezrJM5uQ_s8/hqdefault.jpg

the video is katy perry level garbage

^^^^

also, the song

the song is awesome

Given that they spent five years peddling ropey dancehall and rap to white people and used to put out media communiques in comical 'patois' i think the 'Major Lazer as soundtrack to cultural appropriation' boat has sailed. The rest of the album is trash but Lean On is excellent.

I'm slightly surprised the video (which i like, ftr) hasn't generated more thinkpieces though.

peddling ropey dancehall and rap to white people

smdh

also sad LOL @ cosby upthread

i haven't listened to any major lazer since the first album - which still sounds good to me

well, at least half of it anyway

I'm slightly surprised hugely relieved the video (which i like, ftr) hasn't generated more thinkpieces though.

unsurprising really; if you're not Personality Pop you're lucky if *actually* 301 people watch your video

it has half a billion views

The smug looks on the dudes' faces as they half-heartedly pretend to be bollywood dancers sets new standards for punchability.

DJ Snake has a thing for those kinds of videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12CeaxLiMgE

There they are with Diplo & Nyla and others at the Olympics closing ceremony doing a medley

Diplo still looking smug