Lazerproof

Major Lazer & La Roux
Lazerproof (Mixtape)
Rating: Woof Daddy

Until Coachella I was only a nominal La Roux fan and even less of a Major Lazer fan. My friend Kurt drug me along with my newly met Facebook friends John and Keith to see Major Lazer's set and it was a blast. I had no idea that Major Lazer was actually composed of producer/DJs Diplo and Switch, who have done lots of work with artists such as M.I.A., Santigold, and Robyn. The show was completely off the hook and wild. I don't think I have danced and jumped that much at a show since I was in college. La Roux's set at Coachella was also a highlight of the festival. Elly is a fantastic singer live and really had a great rapport with the crowd. So imagine my surprise when I heard the two artists were teaming up for a free mixtape.

I will be the first to admit that I am not an authority on mixtapes, or what the purpose of them are. Generally, from what I understand, it usually is someone (a rapper most often) who takes existing music and puts their own raps or spin on the song, sometimes to the point where the original song is not even noticeable. In this case, it is one artist (Major Lazer) taking another artist's album (La Roux) and doing something with the entire release. In some instances it is merely remixing the song or adding new touches, as in the reggae version of the lovely ballad "Cover My Eyes"



Other times it is Major Lazer taking their biggest hit ("Pon Da Floor") and mixing it with a La Roux song ("In for the Kill") and giving it to another dubstep producer to finesse (Skream):



Taking it to another level by mixing another artist's song (Candi Redd's "Independent Bitches") with La Roux's song ("In for the Kill"):



Blending and merging several elements from different artists into one new whole; like taking Gucci Mane's "Lemonade" and merging it with "I'm Not Your Toy."



The amazing thing about this mixtape is how two very different styles of music, Major Lazer's Jamaican dancehall/dubstep and La Roux's icy Brit synth pop, really do merge together and work as well as it does. At first glance it would look like there would be a couple of killer tracks with a lot of misfires, but after listening through again and again, it is phenomenal how cohesive and brilliant it all is. Lazerproof is by far the biggest and most pleasant surprise of the year and is jockeying for album of the year in my playlist.


Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not good; could have either been trimmed or spent more time on.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.