Florida

Prolific DJ and producer Diplo (aka Diplodocus or Steven Wesley Pentz) garnered international acclaim by introducing electronic/hip hop artist MIA to the world. He was already known in underground circles through his work with partner DJ Low Budget on their Philly-based club nights Hollertronix and its sought after mixtapes, but FLORIDA marked his solo debut. Expertly mixing hip-hop, psychedelia, and rock with various electronic sounds and vocal samples, the album focuses on more downtempo styles while still leaving room for bass-heavy dance floor beats.
On "Money Power Respect" a sullen cello sample stretches across skittering booty bass and sizzling tape-hiss loops, morphing into wobbly keyboard samples and vocal cuts. Conversely, "Into the Sun" lays it down heavy on the psych, featuring flute samples, backward loops, and lush vocal edits from Marina Topley-Bird. Like all the tracks, though, it's backed by a killer downtempo beat. This is a Diplo classic.