Diplo
Diplo is no stranger to big-tent EDM at its most intense, but on what is billed as his first solo album since 2004’s *Florida*, he goes for something a little more intimate. Unlike the reggae vibes of Major Lazer or the futuristic electronic hybrids of his pop productions, Diplo zeroes in on the four-to-four pulse of house music—and instead of the big-room wallop of the festival scene, he opts for the sensual hush of deep house. That brief still gives him plenty of room to move: “High Rise,” featuring Leon Bridges’ dreamy vocals, evokes the gentle lilt of South African house, while “Your Eyes,” featuring RY X, and the similarly falsetto-kissed “One by One,” with Elderbrook & Andhim, tap into the eyes-closed bliss of the European melodic-techno scene. Even for a producer with a contacts list as extensive as Diplo’s, he has some unexpected bedfellows here: Kalamazoo native Seth Troxler brings a touch of Detroit synths to “Waiting for You,” while UK rave veteran Paul Woolford puts his piano-house instincts to work on “Looking for Me” and “Promises.” And this being a Diplo joint, it would hardly be complete without an element of pop crossover, like Miguel’s soaring turn on “Don’t Forget My Love,” or Busta Rhymes’ irresistible chants on the percussive “Right 2 Left.”
Having recently gone through his country, psychedelic pop, and even ambient phases, the omnivorous EDM DJ turns his attention to house music on his first solo full-length in 18 years.
For all of Diplo's far-reaching eclecticism (how many other artists have released a gold-certified country/pop/trap crossover and an ambient album within months of each other?), he's aware of his lineage in the dance music world, and he's always demonstrated a reverence for the history of house music, having included classic tracks in his sets since the beginning of his career.