Major Lazer

Major Lazer, a cartoon band in the vein of Gorillaz, created by producers Diplo and Switch, have dropped one of the most exciting albums of the summer, "Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do." "Guns..." is Major Lazer's debut album and the first collaboration between Diplo and Switch. Diplo is certainly best known for producing M.I.A.'s smash, Grammy-nominated track "Paper Planes," while Switch has remained underground until now. 

Major Lazer's musical influences come from everywhere - from surf guitar to air horns to military drum rolls - probably stemming from Diplo being a pop-culture pack rat. As he recently told Fader magazine, " The kids are smart now. They aren't like, I just want to be into heavy metal. I want to be into goth only, hip-hop only. They are subscribing to innovation." 

A few standout tracks are the opener "I'll Make Ya," featuring Brooklyn's own Santigold ripping up the chorus with a great surf guitar sample serving as the backbone. Another great track is "Pon de Floor," a latin/techno fusion that's weirdly very funky, with Jamaican artists VYBZ Kartel on vocals. "Mary Jane" perhaps best encapsulates the attitude of the album with its fun, clever, sing-a-long lyrics supported by a great horn sample.

Overall, the album travels nearly the entire musical spectrum, but it's heavy with reggae dancehall beats. Diplo and Switch used every production tool in their arsenal for Major Lazer, creating a really fun (and occasionally dumb fun), enduring album.