Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do

Rating:

* * *

Major Lazer is the pairing of production gurus Diplo and Switch - two forward-thinking bright sparks striving for the next big thing not only in dance music but music in general.

They hunkered down at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong recording studio in Kingston, Jamaica, to record this blitz of 13 rebellious dancehall and reggae tracks with 18 guest MCs and vocalists.

Though there are tunes that lower the tone, like the ineffectual reggae pap of

Cash Flow

and bouncy Barbie-doll dancehall of

Keep It Goin Louder

, it only slightly overshadows the brilliance of tracks like the canning factory clatter of

When You Hear the Bassline

and

Hold the Line

with its

Apache

-meets-

Surf Rider

riff, punishing jittery beats, neighing horses, and New York vocalist Santogold's unique dancehall salvo.

A beautiful reprieve comes on the wholesome skank of

Can't Stop Now

and they are at their most inventive on

Baby

, with its odd auto-tune instrumental and Prince Zimboo cleverly rhyming spectacle with testicle.

The bottom line is to get essential tracks like

Hold The Line

and

Can't Stop Now

on your iPod this minute, turn it up, and then get along and see the dynamic duo play at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne over New Year.

Scott Kara