Diplo Talks New Label, Future Plans

Trust me, this stuff is shit hot. Just listen to the title track on the group's MySpace page-- did you know Alice in Chains could funk like that? Didn't think so.

The EP is currently available through Turntablelab.com, that online mecca of DJ cool, but will be in stores this month. In an interview last week, Diplo told Pitchfork that he's headed to Brazil in March to work on Bonde Do Role's full-length ("with some less recognizable samples"), which is scheduled to come out this spring. He then hopes to spend the summer on tour with his signees, on a Mad Decent road trip across America. Total party time.

Melo Do Tabaco tracklist:

01 Melo Do Tabaco
02 Funk Da Velhinha
03 Danca Da Ventoinha
04 Funk Da Esfiha
05 Jabuticaba
06 Caldinho
07 Melo Do Tabaco (Diplo Remix)

As for Mad Decent's future, Diplo said that this summer should bring the release of a 12" featuring Jamaican artists vocalizing over a new funk carioca-inspired riddim he has created. Macka Diamond, Assassin, Leftside & Esco, Spice, Vybz Kartel, Dr. Evil, Turbulence, Anthony Cruz all contributed to the project, which Diplo is still in the process of fine-tuning. From the snippet he provided Pitchfork, all I can say is: burping frogs have never sounded fresher.

Diplo also revealed that he's working on a "Postal Service kinda project" with a Philadelphia singer named Sterling for a future Mad Decent release. He plans to use the label only for original music, not remixes or mixapes. But don't worry, there will still be plenty of those. He will continue to put out 12"s with his Hollertronix partner Low Budget on Turntable Lab's Money Studies imprint, and plans to reissue his AEIOU mixtape on a double-CD this spring.

But what about a follow-up to the low-key 2004 artist album Florida? Diplo said that he has some instrumentals ready for a "Hollertronix meets trip-hop Florida stuff" project, which he hopes to spice up with "all sorts of weird cameos and collabs". He has approached TV on the Radio and Houston rapper Bun B, but so far the only artist that will "definitely" be on it is M.I.A.

A sequel to the M.I.A./Diplo Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 mixtape is also in the works, but probably won't see the light of day until the release of M.I.A.'s second album is imminent. And right now, Diplo has no idea when that will be. "Not much is worked on yet," he said, "but we are definitely getting weirder. And better."

As if all of that wasn't enough to make us feel like complete slackers, Diplo also plans to finish filming a documentary on funk carioca when he is in Brazil this spring. If all goes as scheduled, the film should be released within a few months.

So basically, Diplo is going to own your summer. But if you can't wait that long, feel free to jet to Australia or Argentina in the coming weeks to see him spin in the sunshine.

Dates:

02-16 Perth, Australia - Beck's Verandah (Perth festival) *
02-17 Saint Kilda, Australia - Gershwin Room at the Esplande Hotel
02-18 Sydney, Australia - Chequers
03-18 Buenos Aires, Argentina - SonarSound

* with Datarock

Diplo: http://www.formdiplo.com/
Hollertronix: http://www.hollertronix.com/
Bonde Do Role: http://www.myspace.com/bondedorole
Turntable Lab: http://www.turntablelab.com/
Mad Decent: http://www.maddecent.com/