Diplo

The eclectic and eccentric Diplo seems to defy classification with genre-splicing tracks that lace reggae-styled vocals over Eighties hip-hop beats — not to mention his contrasting work spinning party mixes as half of the Hollertronix collective and his production of an instrumental hip-hop record. Much like his prehistoric namesake (taken from the long-neck dinosaur Diplodocus), Diplo’s music is unusual and requires some digging to find. The mixmaster’s experiences in the sweltering heat of the South bore a large influence over his future musical endeavors. Many of Diplo’s productions and remixes, including the appropriately titled Florida, boom with Miami bass and Dirty South style. Long after leaving the Sunshine State, Diplo found himself in another humid location enriched with gritty dance music that would further inspire his work. The place was Brazil, the sound was baile funk (raw, unpolished booty-shaking music popular in the slums of Rio), and the product was Favela Strikes Back. The album harbors a level of ambiguity — vague liner notes and no song titles — further enforcing the idea that Diplo’s music is not meant to be completely understood but simply enjoyed.