Major Lazer: Album/Tour/Single

Major Lazer Release Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do On Downtown Records, June 16

“Basically when we are kneeling by our bed praying to Jah, this album is what we are asking for.” -THE FADER

Major Lazer is a Jamaican commando who lost his arm in the secret Zombie War of 1984. The US military rescued him and repurposed experimental lazers as prosthetic limbs. Since then, Major Lazer has been a hired renegade soldier for a rogue government operating in secrecy underneath the watch of M5 and the CIA. His cover is that of a dancehall night club owner from Trinidad and he enlisted the help of long-time allies and uber-producers, Diplo and Switch, to produce his first LP. His true mission is to protect the world from the dark forces of evil that live just under the surface of a civilized society. He fights vampires and various monsters, parties hard, and has a rocket powered skateboard.

As part of a plan to subdue the forces of evil with a batch of futuristic dancehall bangers, the three encamped at Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica to record the Major Lazer record. The product of this collaboration is Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do, a collection of tracks that draws from the rich dancehall tradition of Jamaica, the futuristic dance-floor-killing aesthetic of Diplo and Switch, and contributions from some of the biggest names in dancehall today. The record runs global pop culture through the filter of Major Lazer’s particular brand of 80s-inspired digital dancehall, at once an homage to a bygone era and a look to the future of dance music.

Diplo (Philadelphia-based DJ and producer Wesley Pentz), incorporates such disparate influences as Miami bass and Baile funk into the high-tech eclecticism of his productions. Known for his forward-thinking productions for M.I.A., Bonde Do Role and many others, and for the solo LP of cinematic, sample-based hip hop entitled Florida that he recorded for the Ninja Tune imprint. Diplo is also the founder and owner of Mad Decent records.

Switch (the pseudonym of British producer and DJ Dave Taylor) is the owner of one of the most progressive and respected underground dance music labels around, Dubsided. His work as producer is revered by critics, emulated by his fellow DJs, and sweated hard by dance floors on both sides of the Atlantic. Switch also permanently endeared himself to the bespectacled music cognoscenti with his contribution to Santigold‘s critically acclaimed self-titled debut.

Track List:
01. Hold The Line feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold
02. When You Hear The Bassline feat. Ms. Thing
03. Can’t Stop Now feat. Mr. Vegas & Jovi Rockwell
04. Lazer Theme feat. Future Trouble
05. Anything Goes feat. Turbulence
06. Cash Flow feat. Jah Dan
07. Mary Jane feat. Mr. Evil & Mapei
08. Bruk Out feat. T.O.K. & Ms. Thing
09. What U Like feat. Amanda Blank & Einstein
10. Keep It Goin’ Louder feat. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze
11. Pon De Floor feat. VYBZ Kartel (Additional Production By Afro Jack)
12. Baby feat. Prince Zimboo
13. Jump Up feat. Leftside & Supahype (Co-Produced By Crookers)

Grab the first single “Hold The Line”
http://maddecent.com/blog/2009/04/19/major-lazer-major-lazer-major-lazer-major-lazer-major-lazer-major-lazer-major-lazer

Major Lazer, Diplo and Switch are coming. Tour dates below.

06/13/09 Sat S.O.B.’s New York, NY
06/18/09 Thu House of Blues Boston, MA
06/19/09 Fri Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
06/20/09 Sat Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC
06/24/09 Wed Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC
06/25/09 Thu Neumos Seattle, WA
06/26/09 Fri The Grand Ballroom at The Regency Center San Francisco, CA
06/27/09 Sat Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA
07/10/09 Fri Stubb’s BBQ Austin, TX
07/11/09 Sat House Of Blues Dallas, TX
08/07/09 Fri Congress Theater Chicago, IL
10/31/09 Sat The Forum Inglewood, CA