There’s always been something delightfully over the top about Major Lazer. From the album art depicting a giant cartoon Jamaican commando with a machine gun arm to the colorful Dancehall concoctions served up by producer Diplo. Major Lazer’s debut release, the brilliant Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do exposed Diplo and Switch ( who left the project in 2011) to international success, with both going on to collaborate with major pop acts. Despite being busy producing tracks for some of the biggest names in pop music, Diplo has always kept a steady stream of work going under the Major Lazer name. The previous year was a busy one for the project as 2013 saw the release of the Lazer Strikes Back series of remix EP’s and the somewhat disjointed hit and miss experience of Free the Universe. Major Lazer now returns with Apocalypse Soon, a new EP of fresh material. For this latest outing Diplo has brought with him a diverse group of collaborators including: Pharrell Williams, Sean Paul, Mr. Fox, RDX, Moska, and Machel Montano.

Aerosol Can” starts this five song EP off strong with the way sound of the aggressive tribal beat coupled with the impressive bars delivered by Pharrell Williams creates an intoxicating atmosphere and makes for possibly one of the strongest Diplo has produced under the Major Lazer moniker. “Dale Asi” delves into an interesting fusion of psychedelic textures, dark synth melodies, and hulking Southern hip hop inspired beats. Panamanian guest rapper Mr. Fox’s executes his verses with a gritty rapping style that gives the track that extra intimidating swagger.  “Lose Yourself” with its entrancing dark melodies, abrasive vocals, and pulsating beat is the sound of nights fueled by recreational drugs. The American producer’s has always displayed an affinity the sound of Afro-Caribbean ghettos, and when Major Lazer hits its stride the project manages successfully to adapt that sound with real flair by assembling elements of reggae, electro, hip hop, and dub into these musical Frankensteins.

The EP does have its moments where it loses a bit of its charm. While the moombahton groove of “Come on to Me” with vocal duties handled by Sean Paul provides for good modern dance pop, you get bored quickly of the synth riffs screaming into your ears, and there’s little that gives you that urge to hit repeat. You even sort get an eerie feeling of Déjà vu while listening to it, and it just sounds average to be honest. The mash-up of laid back reggae and high energy raving of “Sound Bang” feels clumsy and at times is far too overwhelming.

At its best moments, the production of this five song EP feels focused and all the elements taken into the mix fit very well and come together. The finest moments on this EP aren’t when the synth screams melodies in your face like most EDM (a phrase which makes me cringe whenever I am forced to use it) out there today, but when the melody creeps up on you and creates electrifying cathartic atmospheres. I can’t help but feel a bit frustrated after listening to this EP. On one hand it has some really brilliant tracks that exhibit real flair and combines the dirty grind of the dance sound of the ghetto with modern hip hop and dance to create something exciting and really forward thinking, and on the other you get some stuff that seems bland and comfortable being just your average party music.

Trygve Hjelle