Mura Masa is a twenty-one year old producer and DJ from the small island in the English Chanel, Guernsey. He bursted on the electronic music scene with his 2016 viral hit “Love$ick”. With help from the wildly popular rapper A$AP Rocky, providing his lyrical prowess, the track blew up becoming a favorite among electronic music fans. It’s mix of house and disco with a tropical vibe, which quickly helped the track find it’s way onto all music lovers party playlists. The big name features on Mura Masa’s debut album didn’t stop there with tracks including British pop star Charli XCX, French synth-pop artist Christine and the Queens, and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn. This doesn’t included my favorite track on the album, which is “All Around The World”. The track features rapper Desiigner, who has been mostly quiet since his 2015 mega hit “Panda”. Desiigner’s unique voice and sound flows perfectly with Mura Masa soothing trap inspired beat.

One of the pleasant surprises Mura Masa brings to the table in the inclusion of Bonzai, an artist that was  never heard of before this album. She is featured on two of my favorite songs on the album, “Nuggets” and “What If I Go”. Bonzai is a twenty year old American singer, that grew up in Dublin Ireland. Bonzai really brings something special to the tracks she is featured on. In a time where female vocalists featured over electronic songs are a dime a dozen, Bonzai seems to have a different sound. This really stands out on “Nuggets”, which gives you the feeling of dancing in a dark english club. I left this album wanting more Bonzai than anything else, and after reading she joined one of my favorite artists today, Flume, on his European tour gives me hope for a collaboration in the future.

What really stands out in the album is Mura Masa’s ability to change up his style for each song. Whether it’s the moody vibe of “Blu” or the upbeat pop aspired “1 Night”, each song comes into it’s own. This keeps the album from becoming repetitive or boring. Mura Masa blends together sounds from hip hop, EDM, house, funk, and disco, so there is a track on the album for everyone. Sadly the same things that make this album different is also where most of its flaws stem from. The songs that are lacking features from big name artists seem to fall short compared to the major hits on the album. Also the contradicting styles from track to track can result in you loving one song, but hating the next. Mura Masa is young and has already brought a different feel and sound to the electronic music scene as people are starting to grow tired to the standard EDM sound that has started control the major electronic music airwaves as a whole. It’s a positive sign seeing Mura Masa bring such a new and different sound in only his first album. We also know that he has some big names that are a fan of this young DJ. I see a bright future for Mura Masa.

Listening Recommendations

1. “Nuggets” (feat. Bonzai)
2. “All Around The World” (feat. Desiigner)
3. “What If I Go”

3 out of 5 Stars