Various artists: Mad Decent Vol. 1 Compilation

Mad Decent

From baile funk to hip-house, dubstep to dancehall, 32-year-old tastemaker Diplo has deconstructed nearly every strain of rhythm-driven international music. But his aesthetic has always been rooted in a more traditional pop ethos. Diplo’s best work is still probably his 2004 mashup Piracy Funds Terrorism, helmed in collaboration with the ever-accessible M.I.A. New album Mad Decent Compilation, Vol. 1 is a showcase for the DJ/producer’s nascent record label. Diplo himself surfaces on two tracks including the narcotized, Blaqstarr-assisted “Get Off (Jack Beats Remix),” which approximates the sound of Baltimore club music being scrapped into a waste disposal. Robyn appears on the sultry remix to last year’s sleeper hit “Bad Gal,” while German duo So Shifty lends a makeover to Major Lazer’s 2009 single “Keep It Goin’ Louder.” Also in tow are M.I.A. collaborators such as Rusko and Derek Allen. All told, these 18 hyper-caffeinated tracks are rowdy, if slightly exhausting fun. (3 out of 5 stars)