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.”