Review Summary: Rest in Peace
I have high hopes for the future of electronic music. One of the major reasons for this is the multitude of directions it’s currently taking. The range of different styles these days makes for a hydra-like animal; while ultimately many heads will wither and die, two more will sprout to take it’s place. One of the major avenues of the exploration is towards dancehall and reggaeton influences. While definitely not the first and certainly not the last to lead electronic expeditions into this territory, the most recognizable trailblazer is probably Major Lazer. And so far it’s been a resounding success, from its first major phenomena in Pon de Floor to the viral distribution that was Free the Universe, Diplo has enjoyed widespread acclaim and popularity stemming from this project/sound.
I’ve always thought dancehall sounds a natural progression for EDM, and in the past Lazer songs proved a natural marriage of genres. However, as good an album as Free the Universe was, I was skeptical about future prospects. I’m not sure what in the album prompted it, but I had a gut feeling that progressing the sound Lazer had been cultivating would be too much a task. And here we are on album three, and I have to say, I called it. Everything is just a bit too easy to digest. The songs, to me, seek to be as inoffensive to everyone more than to legitimately entertain anyone. Major Lazer casuals will enjoy it but I'm far from satisfied. The feature list is expansive but the relative contribution is a malnourished twin of what it should be. It never feels like it ever meant to be anything but what was planned: a very safe, digestible, unambitious continuation of what made Major Lazer successful.
There are some respectable qualities to the album to be sure. I liked the single released beforehand “Lean On”, it has a bouncy freeness and has already positioned itself to be a staple summer tune. “Powerful” features a decent guest spot from Ellie Golding and does a relatively adequate job of complementing her strengths within the Major Lazer sound. I also like “Too Original”, one of the more noticeable tracks which adheres most closely to dancehall roots. “Roll the Bass” is alright the first handful times around. All in all, the overall quality is mad decent. But even the positive points are two-sided. For instance, “Lean On” has similar appeal and sensibility as “Get Free” and really doesn’t strive for anything more than that. “Powerful” is the only time I felt the guest’s essence was adequately captured and the final song product was better than mediocre. Free the Universe had an equally long list of collaborators but the style blends were much more memorable (think “Jah no Partai” or “Watch Out For This”). Finally, while all the tracks are listenable, they’re all really basic (def. basic adj. - gets worse the more carefully you listen to it.)
Then there’s also more one-sided criticisms. As mentioned, on the whole, the collaborative influences are more but the overall contribution is less. In general, I feel the songs are less memorable and ironically less catchy. The drops and sequences are less powerful and rely heavier on pop sensibilities and established sounds. Not only that, but I think the dancehall elements are not only fewer (downright missing at times) but also feel more of a gimmicky token addition rather than an integral element. The filler tracks are also, as a percentage, are more numerous and of worse quality. In particular "Night Riders" is to my ears what salt water is to my stomach. Given the lack of ambition, this is even more inexcusable.
In a few words, this new effort from Lazer is a predictable disappointment. I didn’t want it to be right, but it was exactly the direction me (and I think many Lazer fans) were fearing. It would be harsh to call this album bad, and I’ll immediately cede that a 2 is harsh. But while it’s only average by any normal definition, to me, the worst offense Lazer could have committed was to be unambitious. Bad would be understandable but being at the forefront of the genre, with the spotlight on him, any step other than firmly forward is a failure in my eyes. Under that pressure, Diplo caved and took a tentative shuffle to the side. While he may have succeeded in swelling his audience size, he did not succeed in making meaningful movement forward.
I think there’s still plenty of room in the subgenre to grow into a more mature and wildly entertaining subsection of EDM. Whether it be future Lazer or someone else, the torch is still burning, waiting for an album to carry it further. What’s certain is that this is not the one to do it and never even tried to be.
