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Album Details

• Artist: Diplo
• Album: Florida
• Label: Ninja Tune
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-01-29

Diplo is the one of the newest signings to Ninja Tune's Big Dada subsidiary and you know what, it just might be one of their best to date as well. I don't know where NT finds all this DJ talent but it keeps rolling in. Diplo is a DJ from the DJ Shadow school of turntablism and the art of sampling obscure vinyl. He comes our way not from Florida, as the album title suggests, but from Philadelphia. He has spent some time in Florida as a child and I would assume that's where the title came from. Anyway, let's get to his music. His instrumental hip hop (primarily) is a welcome addition to any fan's collection. The music is fairly dark and yet it stays positive keeping the beats moving forward. Tracks like "Works" are really forward thinking, even with the vocal samples of a guy talking about drugs. "Into The Sun" is a great track and one of the few that Diplo chooses to use a vocalist. It's on this track where Martina Topley-Bird makes her appearance and blesses us with her trip-hop vocals. Another vocal track is "Diplo Rhythm" coming of like a Dancehall style track featuring a bunch of different cool vocalists. It's a good track but it does sound a little out of place on Florida. He redeems himself with the amazing "Indian Thick Jawns" featuring an MC named "P.E.A.C.E.". It is hard to believe that this type of music has gone as far as it has. Many people predicted that it would die but here we have many more young and vibrant DJ's like Diplo and Sixtoo banging out quality material. Florida is a great album with a few flaws but hell, it is Diplo's debut!

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