Listen To The World Premiere Of One Of Diplo’s Only Releases This Summer
Zane Lowe just had the privilege of debuting the latest project from Diplo. This one was in collaboration with Starrah. Zane Lowe played out the records just minutes ago over the airwaves of BBC Radio 1. So far the feedback on twitter has been incredibly positive.
We are inclined to agree because this song is exactly what we want to be hearing from Diplo. This is a rare release from Diplo himself this summer as he has been more or less entirely focused on his Major Lazer side project. The dance hall trio has been pumping out new productions at a rapid rate since the summer began. This is a nice change up from the festival trap anthems that we have come to associated with Diplo in Summer ’17. Take a listen below.
https://embed.itunes.apple.com/us/embedded-player/idsa.d795b0f0-779a-11e7-a362-b65dddb57340
Editor’s note: the track is titled “Imperfections,” and it pairs Diplo’s production with Starrah on vocals. If the name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, her voice probably still does — Starrah has quietly become one of the most in-demand songwriters in pop and hip-hop, with writing credits on records for Rihanna, Drake, and Nicki Minaj, among plenty of others. Most of her name recognition has come from behind the scenes, so hearing her step out front on a Diplo record is a nice change of pace.
What stands out most about “Imperfections” is how restrained it is compared to a lot of what’s been dominating festival lineups this summer. There’s no drop built for a mosh pit, no trap snare roll leading into a bass stab. It’s moodier, more R&B-leaning, and it leans on the chemistry between Diplo’s production and Starrah’s vocal performance rather than any big EDM payoff. That’s exactly why it’s catching our attention — Diplo has so many irons in the fire between Major Lazer, LSD, and his DJ sets that it’s rare to get something released purely under his own name, and rarer still for it to sound this understated.
Major Lazer, meanwhile, shows no signs of slowing down. Between “Cold Water” and the steady stream of new dancehall-inspired singles the trio has dropped throughout the year, it’s clear where the bulk of Diplo’s creative energy has gone in 2017. So a solo cut like this feels like a bit of a treat, a reminder that the guy behind some of the biggest festival records of the decade can still surprise us with something quieter.
We’ll be curious to see if this is a standalone single or a hint of more collaborative work between Diplo and Starrah down the line. For now, hit play above and let us know what you think in the comments.
