Diplo salutes euro hip-hop on 6-track ‘Europa’ EP [STREAM]

Thomas Wesley Pentz Jr (aka Diplo) is still fresh off the win of Silk City’s Grammy win for Best Dance Recording with Dua Lipa. Yet, the Mad Decent head honcho still finds time to work on Major Lazer and LSD, in addition to his solo project. To shake things up a bit, Pentz has just released his new Europa EP under his Diplo moniker. It’s a passion project follow-up to 2018’s California.

The six-track project is deft and deliberate, celebrating rappers from France, Britain, Germany, The Netherlands, and Algeria. The record’s diversity ranges from the smooth abiance of “New Shapes,” featuring French-born, London-raised rapper Octavian, to the decidedly bouncier club track “Dip Raar” with Dutch artists Bizzey (formerly of Yellowclaw) and Ramiks.

German rapper Bausa shines on “Baui Coupé,” and Algerian artist Soolking rides high atop “Oh Maria.” Manchester rising artist IAMDDB brings his urban-jazz expertise to “Mira Mira,” and Parisian hip-hop artist Niska closes out the EP with the catchy pop-trap number, “Boom Bye Bye.” Taken as a whole, Europa swoons its listeners with its creativity and pizzazz. Listen to the full EP below.