Major Lazer - Free the Universe

I first heard Major Lazer several years ago.  When this happened, I wasn't even trying to listen to him.  I was just doing what I do during every waking moment of my life, which is clicking links on Reddit.  This happened to be the link I clicked on at that moment:

I laughed...a lot, but I was also intensely confused, and somewhat offended by the obnoxious stupidity of this video.  "Who created this?" I wondered.  Who would have the audacity to make something so "pants on head" retarded and how did he make it so catchy? Major lazer has taken club music by storm with this obnoxious, Caribbean bro-step so intensely that you can almost guarantee you will hear him next time you're getting down at a nightclub.

When this happens, you will definitely know. Diplo and Switch, the producers who used to comprise Major Lazer, have consistently been able to put themselves ahead of the mainstream pop music by making their music at least as offbeat and insane, as it is catchy and well produced.  Also, their choice of features, musicians famous for making music in the genres Major Lazer was more or less lampooning, gave their music a sense of integrity rather than mockery.  Now Switch is off the project though, and Diplo has continued it solo on the new album Free the Universe.

With Switch leaving, I feel like a sense of restraint and focus has also left Major Lazer, which makes the project feel more insincere.  For instance, Amber Coffman's voice on "Get Free" is uplifting, like a sunrise over the Serengeti, but the lyrical themes about government oppression are simply unbelievable coming from a Texan-born singer and a British producer.  In this respect, the other reggae track, "Jessica," sung by Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend, feels much more unassuming.  Even though it is silly, it's still very likable.

Just Like Ezra Koenig is!

The rest of the album is more hectic than a Carnival parade.  The vocals on the first couple of songs "You're No Good" and "Jet Blue Jet" don't come close to matching the energy of the synths and drums, and the smarmy way that they are sung in the bridge on "Wind Up" makes me cringe...hard.  It sounds like Diplo gets anxious quickly and rather than let the beat continue, he just adds in random sounds, like that stadium announcer voice, or the comical laughing, or the one line guest spots.  It really breaks up the flow of most of these new songs.

Also, the weird mishmashes of guests he features on each track don't fit well.  They just aren't used as purposefully as on Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do.  Also, I have no idea what dumpster Diplo found Shaggy in, but he certainly didn't do him any favours by getting him to sing on "Keep cool (Life is What)."  Shaggy was tacky in the 90's when he was still a recognizable performer and ten years later he sounds even more ridiculous.  Ok, I'll stop with the Shaggy hate.  It wasn't him, after all.

In summing this album up, even though I praised Major Lazer for being wacky in the past, the way Diplo is going about it now has several flaws.  It's just too much.  The beats are consistently overproduced, and far too aggressive without sticking to any sort of theme or letting an idea play out.  The guest spots are bizarre and crowded like a clown car, and it doesn't feel like Major Lazer is actually putting any thought into them.  Major Lazer is at its best when the guest spots are limited and the production is more relaxed like in "Get Free," "Jah no Partial," and "Watch Out for This (Bumaye)."  Other than those tracks (which are pretty good), very little about this album appeals to me. 

Discussion!

• I avoided rushing into a discussion about cultural appropriation, but my review hinted at it anyways.  Do you feel like Major Lazer does this negatively? is it a problem for you?
• Does Major Lazer's zaniness appeal to you or do you find yourself overloaded?

Thanks for reading! let me know what you think in the comments.