The debut album from US hip-hop producer Diplo is just out on Ninja Tune’s Big Dada imprint. There are plenty of comparisons to DJ Shadow flying around, mostly because of big mellow soundpieces like “Summer’s Gonna Hurt You”. Like Shadow’s Endtroducing…, it relies on full, rounded organ riffs, which lend a thick and syrupy feel to even the most frenetic breakbeats. But there’s also an obvious Timbaland influence, with the drum programming shimmying along in crisp little packets. “Indian Thick Jawns” recalls Timbaland’s recent production for Bubba Sparxxx, and features Freestyle Fellowship’s P.E.A.C.E.

“Into The Sun” features Martina Topley-Bird; the production track is played entirely in reverse, and teases out the contrast between intimacy and distance that made her early collaborations with Tricky so entrancing. There’s some very good stuff here.

The three tracks at BBC’s always-worthwhile Collective site don’t really do the album justice, but there is a brief interview there. Aurgasm has an excellent sample of the album. Alternatively, of course, there’s audio clips of the whole thing at Big Dada.

Diplo, Florida

(Big Dada, 2004)